In Times of Darkness
by Lecklund
Summary: *Prince GermanyXReader* An impending darkness overtaking the prince, a tyrant brother and a king, and aiming to conquer is a powerful enemy. Will a savior appear in Ludwig's life that ends his decline into a darkness even he doesn't understand?
1. Chapter 1

From the day he was born, he was always nicknamed 'The Brat Prince'. Being born into the ruling family of Deutschland automatically made him 'important' and, therefore, allowed him to grow up rather spoiled. His older brother, Gilbert may have the throne to himself for now at least, but Ludwig had to be cold about it. He thought his bruder did a _horrible_ job of ruling over most of the German states, and now that there were other entire countries involved with the empire now, he became increasingly concerned. Even he had to admit, the power that came with holding the current throne was tempting to him in multiple ways, but he couldn't bring himself to do such a thing to his bruder… not now, at least.

Right now, he was occupied doing rather un-princely things. In particular at the moment, running an errand for his 'majesty'. He sighed irritably. Gilbert was far too full of himself to properly rule over this place. But, he didn't exactly have a say in the matter. After their father had passed a couple years back, the only one who could take over was the eldest of the Beilschmidt brothers, of course. Some would call it jealousy, he preferred to call it… well, what _did_ he call it?

* * *

Almost entirely focused on finding an answer to his newfound question, he never noticed you carrying a rather large crate of assorted fabrics that had just come in. A clash was, in this case, inevitable. The young prince, unknown to you of course, was caught up in his thoughts until he suddenly hit an obstacle in his path. Stumbling back, he snapped heatedly at where he'd hit, "Mein gott! Do you not pay attention to where you're going, dummkompf?!" He paused in his rant and he looked down at the pile of soft fabrics that had spilled out of the crate when it hit him. And there you were. Half-covered by the foreign products, you didn't move from where you sat while trying to understand what had just happened so suddenly. You glanced up at the young boy, barely 15 years old, with straight-cut short hair that appeared almost silken in appearance, and brilliant blue eyes that held slight concern as he looked down upon your form.

To his surprise, a scowl suddenly crossed your face as you stood up and dusted yourself off, "Look who's talking, dummkompf. You were the one who knocked _me_ over, not the other way around." You quickly shook your hair out of your eyes and looked down at the silks that had fallen on the ground with disgust, "You also just ruined most of this box of silks we just got imported from the East. I hope you know _you'll_ be paying for that, fool."

Ludwig's face contorted with frustration, "I-It wasn't _my_ fault you couldn't see over that pile of fabric, fraulein! Do you not know who I am?" As much as he disliked using his title to influence and barter with others in an attempt to intimidate them, this was a slip out of a mess of thoughts at the moment. You however, remained unfazed and replied calmly, "Ja. You're the boy that just cut our profits for today in half. Danke for being you, brat."

Now, Ludwig was just angry at the insults you, a young girl barely as old as he, was throwing his way, "N-Nein, you idiot! I'm Ludwig Beilschmidt, Prince of Deutschland and all that it rules over. I-I can return your lost profit, but I won't put up with your slanderous and petty insults."

Finally, some form of a reaction. You blinked and tilted your head slightly out of curiosity; an odd expression crossed your face, "Prince? You're _the_ Prince of Deutschland?" You shrugged without a care in the world, "In Austria, we never really heard about you much… we heard more about your bruder-"

"Mein bruder is a dummkompf…"

You frowned at his dislike for his brother, "Uh, right… well, I guess I couldn't tell what status you had because of your attire. Forgive me." You bowed slightly in respect. Ludwig, however, wore a sour expression, "You don't have to bow. I'm out running errands for mein bruder right now… I'm not exactly a prince at the moment." You straightened up as his expression softened lightly, against his own will of trying to stay upset at you, "What's your name anyway?"

A pout formed on your face, "_ _. "

"That's cute." He held a straight face.

Before you could protest against his comment, he turned to the side slightly as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sealed letter. Noticing your glance at the neatly pressed envelope, he voiced your thoughts, "What is this, right?" You nodded in confirmation of his suspicions, and a smirk slipped onto his lips. He waved the document teasingly in the air and while taking a step back from you, mocked in a sing-song tone, _"This is something peasants like yourself shouldn't get involved in~" _He noticed your irritated glare and added, "It's just something mein bruder wants me to give some stall owner in concerns to his monthly taxes. It's boring business, _, so it's best to just keep your nose out of it as best as you can."

"Like you do?"

A look of surprise crossed his young features, "… J-Ja…"

Your brow creased slightly in concern, "What's wrong, Ludwig?"

He blinked a few times before his face turned red, whether out of anger or otherwise you couldn't tell, and shoved the letter back in his pocket. Quickly turning on his heel, he quickly walked away after quickly stuttering, "I-I have to go deliver this letter now. Stay out of trouble."

You stood there, still over the silks that had been forgotten by now, confused at his sudden change of attitude.

_Was it something you said?_

* * *

******TRANSLATIONS:**

_**Deutschland** = Germany  
[I sometimes use this to loosely describe the entire empire instead of using the official term all the time]_

**Bruder** = Brother

**Mein Gott** = My God

**Dummkompf** = fool, idiot, ect.

**Fraulein** = girl

**Ja** = Yes/yeah

**Danke** = Thank you

**Nein** = No


	2. Chapter 2

Ludwig didn't exactly know why he took your statement so seriously. Perhaps he thought you'd actually understand what it's like for him… but that was highly unlikely. Shaking his head, he looked towards his destination. _Home._ Though he didn't know if he could truly call it that anymore. Being born into a royal family, he didn't really know much about the modest lifestyles of the lower-classed citizens. Like you yourself had been. You simply wouldn't let his mind be, your blunt insults still replaying in his head. You hadn't recognized his status at first, most likely because Gilbert wouldn't have his little brother caught floating around running errands for him. At least not in full, regal cloaks and silks. It wasn't a thing nobles did. So he had Ludwig dress in plain but still relatively high-class attire.

He never looked forward to returning home after the errands had been run. Ludwig was always greeted with his brother's crimson glare, always plotting something sinister or otherwise. The smirk that was always etched into his features still lay there, mocking in nature and utterly disgusting to him. His sly expression made Ludwig weary, as Gilbert came to look down upon his brother from where he sat on the throne, "Guten tag, Luddy~ I see you're still as sour-faced as ever."

Gott, how he dreaded that nickname, "Don't refer to me with such a disgusting name."

Gilbert's smirk grew as he leaned forward in his seat, "Kesesese~ my opinion remains standing and unchallenged, I see. Tell me…" He leaned back again, once again looking more like a disgrace to the throne with the way he sat. His voice suddenly changing from obnoxious to a terrible impression of a whiny child, "Why do you never call me 'bruder' or 'mein awesome bruder, Gilbert Beilschmidt'?"

Ludwig's eye twitched, "Perhaps for the same reason most people in the countries outside of Germany don't even know I exist? With that ego of yours, it's no wonder the people hate you-"

Gilbert suddenly shot up from his seat when something in him snapped, "_**NEIN.**_ The people of the German states, including those that have joined out empire in recent years, are content with the way things are being run. My ego has _nothing_ to do with the politics. Think carefully before you even _**think**_ of contesting _me_ again, you stupid brat."

Ludwig clenched his hands into fists. This was how the Beilschmidt family _really_ was. A rivalry between one brother, whose ego stands in the way of his own people, and the other who tries to get some sense through that thick-skulled dummkompf. Another reason on his ever-growing list to hate his brother. He knew it was starting to get slightly out of hand, but as long as he kept his 'other thoughts' to himself, it wouldn't get worse… right? He didn't give his brother the satisfaction of another word as he stormed his way up to Gilbert, threw the pouch of gold at him and quickly left to go back out into the city. It was his only safe haven right now, anywhere that wasn't _there_ was fine by him.

The bazaar near the centre of the main road was having one of its quiet days. Only a few of the market stalls were open, selling only what people _needed_ instead of being swarmed with the foreign specialties. He had no set destination in mind. Rather, he was merely wandering… killing time until he felt he could show his face back in his own home without sparking more arguments with his brother. He shook his head. No, he had to stop thinking about him for a little while. He needed to preoccupy himself with something else for a while, to help _himself_ relax. Though his brother was naturally laid back, Ludwig hadn't gotten the same carefree attitude Gilbert did, oh no. He was growing into his attitude of keeping himself reserved and respectful… at least towards his peers. That girl he ran into earlier… you… for whatever reason, even he didn't understand, he disliked you. Maybe it was because you'd been so hostile towards him, or maybe it was because you could care less about his status in the world. But now that he thought about it, maybe that's why he kind of _enjoyed_ the encounter. You treated him like every other person you came across, well… so he assumed. That somehow struck a nerve of sorts in him, and it made him have some kind of mutual respect for you, even though you and he barely knew each other besides those insults thrown earlier in the afternoon.

Maybe that's what he needed? To see you again, set things straight and perhaps get to know you? Well, it was worth a shot. He had nothing to lose anyway except maybe a bit of pride. Straightening himself up, he began to walk in a random direction with a new kind of determination. Nothing would stop him from doing something _good_ for once.

Those were his thoughts, until he suddenly found himself landing roughly on the ground with a soft 'thump'. Well, there went _that_ train of thought. A voice suddenly spoke up from above him.

"Oh, Guten Tag, dummkompf."

-  
**TRANSLATIONS:**

**_Guten Tag_** = Good afternoon

**Mein** = My/mine [though used for 'my' in this situation]  
-


	3. Chapter 3

With a pout on his face, he looked up at the source of the voice, only to find exactly what he had been searching for. You were holding an empty crate not unlike the one you dropped earlier, and you still wore that dirty, partially worn-out thing you called a dress. Ludwig couldn't help but scrunch up his nose a bit at the sight; though he didn't necessarily want to as that'd just further convince you that he was just another spoiled brat running around the place with no leash. You sneered back at him, "Still acting like a brat around those that are below you, huh? And they said that people could change…" You smirked at your own comment, "Guess they were wrong~"

Ludwig quickly got back on his feet and countered, "What is _that_ supposed to mean, you silly fraulein?"

"Hmm… nothing you'd understand yet." You looked up at the sky for a few moments after saying this, until you suddenly mused, "Say, since you have nothing better to do, why not repay your debt with me by helping me with some of my errands?"

Ludwig immediately slouched at those words, "Errands?"

"Ja. Nothing major, just going to a caravan to pick up a few things for my Schwester's fabric trade in the market. Since you happened to ruin some of the silks from the Eastern caravans, I have to head back and buy some more before they leave for the night."

His face began to contort slightly at the thought of running an errand with someone like you. Though he _did_ want to see you again, it wasn't quite turning out in his favour. He spat bitterly, "I'd rather go back and bask in mein bruder's awful presence than run an errand with a fraulein as rude and unfeminine as you."

You shifted the crate under one arm as you roughly grabbed his arm, "That's fantastic! I knew you'd go along with it."

"I-That was the complete opposite of what I just-" He sighed irritably and in defeat. Never had he encountered someone like you… not in the least.

And that got him wondering what the people were like outside of the 'heart of Deutschland'. He was never allowed to follow his bruder with his visits to neighboring countries. Rather, he was kept back from the spotlight Gilbert had upon himself, though he'd occasionally mention Ludwig in casual conversation with the lower-class_ [that is, if he even bothered to acknowledge their existence]_. He was never mentioned to the upper-classes of other countries and major cities outside of this one, the one that stands shameful and without a name to be addressed by, and merely referred to as 'die Kapitale'. It was an informal name, but then again, Gilbert was a royal disgrace to the empire and always seemed to act as informal as possible when he really shouldn't.

You had mentioned during your first encounter that you were from Österreich, one of the first countries to have joined the empire. He made a small mental note to ask you in the future, if there was one between you both, to ask you about the land you came from. One he'd most likely never see himself.

* * *

After practically dragging him the entire way, you approached the caravans situated in rough tents outside of the city's walls. You glanced back at Ludwig briefly and smiled when he made eye contact with you, "Have you ever been this far out of the city?"

His face quickly turned red as he stuttered an answer, "J-Ja! Of course I have! Many times, actually."

You shook your head at his obvious lie, "Geez Luddy, you don't lie very well, do you?" After receiving a surprised look from the boy, you quickly added, "You stutter and your cheeks flush a bit when you do. Like you're paranoid someone will see through it, like I just did… am I right?"

"J-ja, maybe…" He looked over at the set-up you were pulling him towards and dug his heels into the ground, "This is what the caravans look like? Just… the skeleton of what the square has?"

You rolled your eyes, "Oh geez. Dummkompf, you need to learn some modesty when it comes to your 'lower-class citizens'." You mocked in an odd voice. After glancing back at him for a moment, you turned to the rather elder-looking man that was sitting on the ground in from of one of the patchwork tents, "Guten abend, Herr Adler."

He looked up at you with deep, honest eyes, "Ah, guten abend _. Did you happen to forget something earlier, which would explain your return?"

"Nein, actually. I came to see if you happened to have any more of the silks you sold me earlier today. This Junge ran into me in the market not too long after I had bought them, and I didn't have the time to come back until now…"

The bartering between the two continued for a few more minutes, with the old man also asking a few questions along the way like, '_How is your Schwester doing today?' _It was rather informal and idle conversation as he searched for the fabrics. After finding them and handing them over to you, Ludwig couldn't help but voice his curiosity, "How far east do you go to get all these materials?"

Both you and Herr Alder turned to glance at him; he stood with a true glint of a childish curiosity he just couldn't contain in his bright blue eyes. The old man laughed at his expression, "Oh my… it's not often I get upper classmen like yourself asking me silly things like that." Ludwig frowned at his comment while he continued, rather oblivious to the boy's sudden change of attitude, "The furthest we've gone east in the past few months is a few dozen miles from the borders of the Ottoman Empire."

"Ottoman Empire?"

Herr Alder raised an eyebrow, "Yes Junge, the Ottoman Empire. You can't tell me you haven't heard of Deutschland and its conquered lands greatest threat…"

Ludwig, now entirely interested in this new topic, quickly replied, "Mein bruder keeps me away from outside relations, Herr Alder. I don't recall ever hearing anything about this Ottoman Empire you speak of."

Herr Alder stroked his beard in thought, "Hmm… how odd. Well, the Ottoman Empire is made up of the lands in the very Far East of this continent, including countries in and around the area recently declared Türkei."

You looked between the two and sighed, "Not to ruin the lovely conversation between you two, but Luddy and I must be going now, Herr Alder-"

Ludwig shook his head and quickly, "Nein, wait a minute." He turned back to Herr Alder and had a look of desperation in his eyes, "Tell me, why is this Ottoman Empire a great threat, yet I hear no mention of it in conversation?" Noticing the glimmer of hesitation in the old man's eyes, he urged on, "_Bitte_. I need to know."

He frowned at the boy, "I'm sorry, Junge. But I only know what I've told you." He slowly stood up, lightly cracking his knees as he did so, "You're bound to find out the answer in the near-future, with these tensions and such. But for now, I must continue on the road with the caravan. Perhaps we'll meet again someday before I get too old."

He gave a hearty chuckle at his own comment before biding a fair-well to the odd duo. You gave a look of concern towards Ludwig after returning Herr Alder's goodbye, but didn't say a word. His hands were clenched tightly, and he was giving off some sort of 'bad aura' as some would describe it. He suddenly turned on his heel and began to storm off back into 'die Kapitale', but not without you catching a glimpse of his face and his venom-laced comment, "I have some business to discuss with a certain person in my life I wish never existed. Guten Abend, _."

* * *

**TRANSLATIONS [in order of appearance]:**

_**Fraulein** = girl_

**Schwester** = Sister

**Bruder** = Brother

**Deutschland** = Germany  
[I also sometimes use this in reference to the entirety of the German empire /substitute word/]

**'Die Kapitale'** = the Capital  
[Not very original, I know.]

**Österreich** = Austria  
[I'm pretty sure I got this one right, German for the country of Austria.]

**Dummkompf** = stupid, idiot, 'dum', ect.

**Guten abend** = Good evening  
[late afternoon, dusk]

**Herr** = a formal term, the equivalent of Mr. or Mister  
[for example, Herr Alder is 'Mr. Alder'. For women, 'Frau' is used instead']

***der*Junge** = Boy

**Türkei** = in case you couldn't take a guess, it's the country/Republic of Turkey

**Bitte** = Please

* * *

_With that out of the way, I can explain another thing which may be confusing. I'm using the 'Ottoman Empire' in this fic, but it's not supposed to be historically accurate or anything. In the fic, it's basically just a rival empire to the Deutsches Kaiserreich [German Empire] and will hopefully become more prominent in a few chapters or so c:_


	4. Chapter 4

Ludwig wanted answers. It was as simple as that. If _Herr_ Alder wouldn't give them to him, then he might as well try the source of most of his problems. That _dummkompf_ that's unfortunately related to him. And boy, was Ludwig ready to shove aside all distractions and attempts his bruder might take to prevent him from knowing more about this 'Ottoman Empire' he never even knew existed until today. He deserved to know these things! After all, should anything happen to Gilbert, he would have to take over. Ludwig snarled to himself. _Verdammt._ That was, if anything happened to his bruder _after_ about five months from now. Right now, he was too young to lead Deustchland by himself, let alone an entire empire. By his next birthday he'd be able to, had something happened to Gilbert, lead the entire empire alongside a trusted, experienced 'friend of the family'. In other words, there would be little Ludwig could do without having his second-in-command approve it first until he was nineteen. But, it _was_ better than nothing, and _much_ better than getting married to some random fraulein in order to rule at seventeen instead of waiting a couple extra years.

He quickly made his way up the stairs, ignoring the knights standing guard's bows as he roughly pushed open the doors to the castle. The moment the doors had opened, Ludwig caught sight of exactly the fool he was looking for. Down at the end of this rather long hallway, decorated with tapestries, suits of armour and luxurious curtains, on the top of yet another set of stairs was Gilbert. Sitting on the throne in his usual, disgraceful fashion as he listened to what seemed to be one of his consultants or informants. Ludwig's presence was seemingly unknown to the two men until he had reached the foot of the stairs and calling up to Gilbert, "Your Highness," The dreaded title slipped between his lips and felt like it had stained his very tongue, "May I have a word with you for but a minute?"

Gilbert and the other man glanced down at Ludwig, who suddenly felt rather small compared to them and their questionable gazes. He waved off the informant however, and once the little man had bowed and left in a hurry to leave the two young nobles behind, Gilbert rested his chin on his hand with a look of suspicion written on his face, "Guten Abend, bruder. Did you calm yourself down with your little trip? Or did you just come here to enrage yourself again?"

Ludwig completely avoided his question, and went straight to the point, "I want answers, Gilbert. Answers to things you've never even bothered to tell me about."

The king narrowed his eyes and sat forward in his throne, "Oh? And what might these 'things' be exactly?"

He found it hard to swallow now, his throat tightening up with the tension that was likely to follow, "I-I want to know about the Ottoman Empire. I was never even informed of the existence of this strong empire. An entire _empire_, Gilbert! Just how long did you plan on keeping this from me?"

Gilbert raised a brow but suddenly had a dark look overcome his pale features, "Where did you hear about this empire?"

Ludwig scoffed, "That's none of your business."

Gilbert growled to himself before standing up and slowly making his way down the steps towards Ludwig, "I am the ruler of this empire, _and_ this family. I think it _is_ my business to know what mein bruder has been poking his nose in." He roughly put a hand on his sibling's shoulder, "So tell me… was it from one of the commoners here? Or perhaps it was from some other source? Listen well, bruder." He begun to walk down the hallway towards the staircase that led upstairs, pushing Ludwig in front of him, "I'm merely trying to protect you. You _are_ an heir to the throne after all. The last of us, to be more specific. I don't need you getting mixed up in this talk of the Ottomans-"

"So they _are_ a threat to the Empire…"

He sighed, "Ludwig," That was one of only three times his brother had ever used his name like that, "I-Well… Ja. I suppose I can't deny the truth when you already seem to know it. But they're a threat _I_ have to deal with, and you don't need to be getting mixed up in." He looked down at his younger bruder, "You'll know soon enough that everything isn't as simple as you may think. Our lives are naturally more complex than the commoners, but there's a big difference between us."

Ludwig glared, "Oh? I thought you always thought the commoners were nothing more than the trash that walks the streets?" He tore himself away from Gilbert's grip and took a few steps back, "Stop lying to me, Gilbert. I'm tired of you hiding the truth from me! You haven't even mentioned to me how Mutter died-"

Gilbert snapped sharply, "We do not speak of that woman in that context here."

"And why not? What's the reason? The motive? You never explain anything to me anyway! You just straight up ignore me or send me on some stupid errand to avoid the question! I'm starting to question your motives you… you… Tyrann!"

Gilbert was furious at that last comment, "_How DARE you_ accuse me of such a thing, you ungrateful little… What in God's name has gotten into you today, bruder!?"

Ludwig found himself paralyzed. Fuming with anger, he attempted to form words, but all that came out was a crack in his voice. Gilbert abruptly turned and purposely shoved Ludwig out of the way as he walked back down the hallway, "I don't want to see your face until tomorrow morning. Stay up here, and don't you dare think of leaving when I have my back turned."

* * *

It was a long, silent night for the young Prince. His mind wouldn't let him rest, as the many thoughts he'd been keeping from the world crawled out from the darkness. He lay in his bed staring up into the dark, contemplating what he had been just hours before. He didn't regret what he had said earlier. He never did. It was the truth after all, his bruder may try to act civil and reasonable enough but he's always looking to stab everyone in the back while wearing that stupid grin on his face. Was such a hatred for one's own bruder a normal occurrence? Most likely, but nowhere near as extreme as this. But what did that mean to him? He muttered to himself, "Maybe this whole Ottoman Empire will turn out to be a good thing after all. A good excuse for Gilbert to go to war and leave me behind again… maybe he'll end up getting mortally wounded. Then I'd be the last one left to take over the empire-" He stopped himself at his own words. _What the hell are you thinking, Ludwig!? He may be an awful ruler and brother, but that doesn't mean you have to start thinking about… about _killing_ him. Mein Gott… I sound just as bad as he does…_

* * *

After dressing himself for the day, back in the same middle-upper class clothing, Ludwig quickly made his way down the stairs and made his way towards the immaculate dining hall. Of course, he expected his bruder to be sitting at the far end of the table. To his hollow sense of relief though, the snow-haired king did not grace him with his presence, and Ludwig could sit down and be served his meal in peace and quiet. It was only until he had finished did he suddenly stop and think about what he was going to do today. His bruder wasn't around, but Ludwig didn't want to have to put up with him in the first place. So what was the point of him staying here then?

Everything always seemed to come back to this particular place in the square. The people were beginning to leave their homes and head out to work where they worked, buy what they normally bought, and so on and so forth. Slowly but surely, 'die Kapitale' would be bustling by mid-day. No particular destination in mind, Ludwig began to wander around the square, sometimes pausing to glance at what some of the merchants had to offer. When he found himself in front of a fabric merchant, he was suddenly reminded of you, as you had told him the day before that you worked with your Schwester selling imported fabrics and scraps. A familiar voice came from behind him, startling him somewhat as he hadn't expected it, "Fancy I'd find you here again, dummkompf."

_Speak of the devil…_

* * *

**TRANSLATIONS [in order of appearance]:**

_**Herr** = a formal term, the equivalent of Mr. or Mister  
[for example, Herr Alder is 'Mr. Alder'. For women, 'Frau' is used instead']_

**Dummkompf** = stupid, idiot, 'dum', ect.

**Bruder** = Brother

**Verdammt** = 'Damn'

**Deutschland** = Germany  
[I also sometimes use this in reference to the entirety of the German empire /substitute word/]

**Fraulein** = Girl

**Eure Hoheit** = 'Your Highness'  
[I did my best to look this one up, but I got a TON of different words/phrases for this, so it's likely to be the wrong one ._. Corrections are most appreciated]

**Guten Abend** = Good evening  
[late afternoon, dusk]

**Mutter** = Mother  
[In case you were curious, Mutti is the less formal version of this, and can be used for 'mom', 'ma', and 'mommy/mummy']

**Tyrann** = Tyrant  
[I'm pretty sure I got this one right, though I could still be wrong~]

**Mein Gott** = My God


	5. Chapter 5

How you continued to sneak up on him like that was beyond him. Perhaps it was just the stereotype of your typical low-class citizen that had been thrown on him for as long as he can remember? No, no. He needed to take your advice seriously. Modesty, though sometimes immoral, was better than attempting to cover up a slip like that if he let it happen. He turned towards you and narrowed his bright blue eyes slightly, "Oh. It's _you_." Well _that_ came out more harsh than intended.

"Don't sound so happy, Luddy. No need to act all snarky around me. We're all friends here, aren't we?"

He scoffed, "Don't know if I'd call it that, fraulein. But I'll let you humour yourself and allow you to believe that."

You shook your head with a smirk, "Even though I've only known you since yesterday, you never change, ya know that?" He replied with a similar smirk on his face, and you then sighed and looked at the sky, "So what brings you out here, Luddy? Looking to escape your bruder's lovely presence?"

Your sarcasm made him chuckle, "Nein, I… upset him last night when I came back to ask him something. He wanted nothing to do with me until this morning, but he has yet to grace my line of sight. I, well…" He looked away as his cheeks became slightly dusted with pink, "I more or less came to see you I suppose."

"I have a royal looking to spend time with me? Aw, that's cute."

His eyes widened at your unexpected comment, missing its partial sarcasm entirely, "I-I didn't mean it like _that_, dummkopf!"

"Your face says otherwise." He quickly put a hand to his face as it became more flushed by the minute. You merely giggled at his actions, "Ah, it's so easy to fluster you, Ludwig. It makes me wonder how you can stand so strong against your bruder, and merely shrug off his punishments…"

You shook your head when he gave you a curious look and smiled, "Come on, dummkopf. Mein Schwester is making a trip back to Österreich, so she let me stay to see if there were any good prices on more of that fabric, but I wasn't even going to bother anyway. It's such a boring job, and you'll be the excuse I use when she scolds me anyway, so it's not like I'm going to take the fall for it."

Ludwig raised an eyebrow. Had you had that scheme all planned out when he showed up?

"Say, dummkopf…" He focused his attention back on you and made a motion of recognition. You grinned rather devilishly, "Want to go for a stroll outside the city walls?"

* * *

"A-Are you sure we're allowed?" Ludwig was uncharacteristically nervous, and you couldn't help but smile at it. It was cute to see such a rude, posh Junge get nervous, and about something as minor as merely leaving die Kapitale's gates was something you found hilarious.

"I assure you, dummkopf. There are a lot of people that do this daily. It's not illegal, unless you yourself are."

"Then we might want to be cautious. Mein bruder never let me leave before, so why should the guards?"

You turned back to look at him, "Are you worried they'll recognize you or something?" His silence gave away his answer, "I guess I can understand your fear… kind of. If you're so concerned, just…" You looked around until you found something that would have to do. Mud. "Oh, Luddy. I hope you don't hold grudges."

"I'm afraid I do."

Taking some of the mud and seeing his eye twitch with disgust, you smiled sympathetically, "Well, then hold it against me _after_ we solve your insecurity problem."

"C-Can't you just slick it back with something other than DIRT?"

"Unless you want horse manure instead, then no. With your lovely locks, only something thick like mud is gonna work. Now, hold still a minute."

* * *

Walking past the guards at the gate with a polite nod, you looked over at Ludwig who looked less than impressed. You roughly slapped his back, making him stumble forward, "Oh, you'll live, dummkopf. It's just mud. Geez, you sound like most girls my age."

He glared at you, "And obviously you're not just any plain old fraulein, are you?"

Your characteristic smirk crossed your face yet again, "Perhaps. Or maybe I'm just not your type, Junge."

Flushing red in the face again, he pouted, "Wh-Where are we going anyway?"

"Where I keep my stuff, Junge. Die Kapitale doesn't allow foreigners like me und mein Schwester live within the city walls… it's illegal, and only the filthy rich are allowed to do that. Though it doesn't surprise me…"

He wore the look of genuine surprise when you stopped and turned to look at him after his footsteps abruptly stopped, "Who put that kind of law into place?"

You deadpanned, "Who do you think, dummkopf? We only recently left our homeland for Deutschland. Your bruder would be the one to blame for such a silly rule. Are all the Deutschens so… fond of their rules?"

Ludwig was now glaring at the dirt below his feet, "N-nein, not all of us. It just keeps the people orderly and well-disciplined… or at least, that's how mein bruder words it."

You frowned. You had an idea on how he felt about his bruder ever since he had called him a dummkopf. But the amount of hate that always flooded his voice when he spoke of him was something you had never really noticed until now. You refused to bring up the question that haunted your mind every time that bout of spite was heard in his voice, as you had a feeling it wouldn't be the most pleasant of conversations. A sigh escaped your lips before placing your hands on your hips, "Hey, c'mon Luddy. Where'd your old sour-faced self go all of a sudden? We're almost there. I just have to grab a few things, and then we can head back to die Kapitale, alright?"

He glanced up from the ground at you, though his eyes were obscured through his silken hair somewhat. But he saw the rare, gentle smile you gave him and it made him feel… odd. Odd, in the sense that he didn't understand what feeling fluttered around in his gut at the moment. His expression softened however, and he nodded with a hint of a smile on his face, "J-Ja. Sounds like a plan, I guess."

* * *

**A/N:**_ More of a filler chapter that's only slightly useful, I know. But it's been done for a while, but I need to stop hating on it and keep working on the rest of it ._

_I'm being lazy and only providing the translation for the word I used that's new to the fic~ Deutschens is supposed to mean [though I might be wrong, correct me if I am] 'Germans'_

_I was in one of those 'Don't give a *#$%' moods... so I'm posting it now and getting over the fact that I hate it, but I don't want to re-write it :'D_


	6. Chapter 6

The camp-like location you stayed in wasn't exactly _good_. But Ludwig also thought that it couldn't possibly be the worst, seeing some of the living conditions [or lack of] in die Kapitale. The part that caught Ludwig off-guard was the fact that it appeared to not just be you and your Schwester we weren't the only ones there. You turned to look at him for a moment with a raised brow, "What, you thought I lived in a fancy castle like you get to do, Prinz?"

"Nein," He shook his head, "I just… assumed it was more like an individual area for you… not some kind of caravan."

You rolled your eyes at him, "Dummkopf, how else do you think mein Schwester und I get around from Österreich to Deutschland She travels with the caravan, and I ultimately do the same. It's all we've done since Mutter passed a few years ago… it's been surprisingly successful, actually."

He gave you a concerned frown, but never inquired further. Ludwig merely stood idly by as he watched the other residents go about their business. It all seemed rather… unrefined compared to die Kapitale. Was everything outside the city walls like this? He couldn't possibly see any good in living in these covered caravans making treks to and from Österreich every once in awhile. Then again, perhaps you were right. He had been living in a castle for his entire life, hidden away from the rest of the world. But now here he was, openly defying his bruder's will and standing alongside an Österreicher outside die Kapitale's walls… it made him feel bold. Like his bruder really _didn't_ have his eyes everywhere.

Like he could slip through his pale fingers and leave his boring, confined life behind. He never noticed the huge smirk on his face until you happened to point it out after finishing your business and walking back over to him, "What's with that creepy smirk on dein Gesicht? Come up with some master plan for something?"

"Not exactly…"

You pouted, "You're not even going to tell me? How kind of you, Prinz."

He quickly turned to you, grin still plastered on his face, "Nein, nein. I want to ask you something, actually."

You quickly frowned as a blush crawled over your face, "Wh-What? Why? What is it?"

He lowered his voice as he took your hands in his own, "I need to be sure you won't turn your back on me."

"We've known each other for, what… three or four days now after you ran into me in the market square. Plus, I quite clearly remember you saying you'd rather stay back in die Kapitale with your bruder than run a simple errand with me. You have as much of my loyalty as a horse has with a lion." You smirked at him, "But I'll let you amuse me with this grand idea of yours, dummkopf."

He shook his head with a sideways smile, "You're such an odd fraulein, you know that? But I need to ask you something very important… It would mean the world, you know-"

Rolling your eyes, the grin of anticipation never left your features, "Just _tell_ me already, Luddy. Save the speech for later."

"Er-right." He coughed awkwardly, realizing he had made an arsch of himself, "Well… would you be willing to take me to Österreich?"

He winced at your expression, which was one of pure surprise, "You want _me_ to take you to Österreich? I hope you realize that if I was ever caught taking the Prinz of Deutschland d outside of the country without permission, that would be considered a kidnapping of a royal and I would receive a punishment of _death_?" His awkward attempt at a rejected glance didn't work as he would've liked you assumed, as you sighed and gave him an irritated expression, "You are an odd Junge, Ludwig. Give me one good reason why I should."

"I only wish to see what mein bruder has kept from me. To see if his lies spread that far, and… well…" He fidgeted with his fingers while looking down at the ground, "To be entirely honest, I want to know what it's like _not_ being a spoiled brat."

You stood there with an expression of what could almost be mistaken for stupor upon your face, but Ludwig knew he had you in with his plan when he saw the unusually large grin that slowly encased your lips. Although, that may also have just been because he had admitted to a commoner that he was, indeed, a spoiled brat.

"Fine, you've got yourself an escort. But if I get caught, you have to back me up to make sure I don't pay a visit to the Executioner's blade, alright? I'd much prefer to keep my head attached to my body, danke."

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ WOO~ Birthday update~  
Ah...  
But honestly.  
This was mostly Rammstein-induced.  
I went from having 4 songs to 14 the next day, then 22 the day after that.  
RHGFSE THEY ARE SO WONDERFUL ;w;  
But, uh... yeah. Sorry if it's just more filler... I had to finish it in order to continue, but I hope it's still okay~!_

* * *

_**Translations [in order of appearance, and only 'new' translations]:**_

_**Prinz**__ = 'Prince' __[I think it's right, but there was more than one word for it, so correct me if I was wrong]_

_**Österreicher**__ = Austrian __[Pretty sure it's right... I mean, it makes sense /slapped/]_

_**dein Gesicht**__ = Your face __[Not 100% sure on this one... correct me if I'm wrong /blameRammsteinandmyselfifitis]_


	7. Chapter 7

That Prinz was definitely an odd one… that was made certain to you. He was willing to leave his own kingdom behind just to see what his own bruder had done to the people, how _his_ kingdom was fairing under his rule. It made you smile slightly, thinking of how loyal he seemed to be towards his people. It was a smile which was short-lived, after being approached suddenly by a guardsman, though he looked more like a knight's page than anything. He stood tall and addressed you formally, "Miss _ _?" You nodded, "I've been instructed to escort you to King Gilbert Beilschmidt's castle, as he wishes to speak with you immediately."

You raised a brow out of curiosity, "May I ask why he is asking for me?"

The boy, perhaps a year older than yourself, shrugged in reply, "He didn't give me details, ma'am. He merely asked to retrieve you from whatever you may be doing, and bring you to him as soon as possible."

"I guess I don't have much choice then, do I?" The page laughed rather quietly before letting you finish as you gestured in the direction in which he had come from, "By all means, lead the way."

* * *

Suddenly, you felt so tiny in the world, standing in front of the giant wooden doors to what seemed to be more like a fortress than a luxurious castle. Your usual _'don't really give a damn'_ attitude was wavering as you hesitated while the boy continued on his way, nodding to the knights standing guard. He turned and frowned, "Something wrong?"

Snapping out of your daze, you shook your head and quickly continued forward, lightly shoving him out of the way, "N-No. I'm fine, thanks." He gave you a rather perturbed glance as you passed him, but he just shook his head and continued alongside you as you made your way into the grand entryway and, ultimately, the throne room.

Your eyes followed the rich onyx carpet that ran from the main doors to the first step up to that golden spot of which royalty sat. To your surprise and slight suspicion, the King was nowhere to be seen in the room. This also caused the page some concern, as he looked around with unease in his dark blue eyes. Your gaze scanned the room, taking in the rich detail, of which a fine painter would most likely find himself frozen in awe and intimidated by the almost queer combination of colours. It remained silent in the large, spacious room until a dreadfully recognizable voice caught your attention.

Gilbert easily strolled from one of the rooms attached to the side of the hall, his blood-coloured gaze passing over from you to the young page as he stopped a fair distance from both of you, "You've done what I've asked. You are excused, Hans."

The boy nodded and ducked away, presumably to fulfill other tasks a page must do. You barely restrained the glare you were giving the King as he turned towards you. You could almost swear the look he gave you was borderline salacious, but you refused to let him get to you. You found your words once again as he took a step forward, "May I ask why did you call me here, _your Highness?"_

His expression turned into more of a sneer as he replied bitterly to your question, "I only wanted to discuss some topics with you, mainly your place in this kingdom and about your… Motherland."

"You should know enough about Österreich to satisfy you, seeing as you practically _own_ the damn country." You became extremely concerned as to why he'd ask you about your homeland. He was the ruler of Deutschland, he shouldn't need someone to discuss it with.

"My, my. You have quite the attitude, don't you, fraulein? " He smiled rather mockingly and shook his head, "You're not making good first impressions for a King, you realize."

You stood your ground, "Just because you are royalty doesn't make you any less human than I am. Or is class all that matters to you, as it seems to for most people these days?"

His grin became wider, "One coming from such a country would ask such a thing, wouldn't they?" He noticed how quickly your expression changed from one of anger into one of exasperation. You obviously didn't want to stay and continue the conversation, but he decided to keep torturing you, "Ah, I do believe I've struck a nerve. Do you not like having your motherland spoken ill of? No, of course not. No one does, do they?"

"What do you want, Beilschmidt?"

Oh, how that mocking grin made you want to strangle the bastard, "I want you to listen to me. Is that too much to ask for?" He slowly, almost cautiously interlocked his arm through your own as he peered down at you with a rather intimidating stare, "Walk with me, fraulein. Walk with me, and listen to what I have to say."

What unsettled you about that phrase was not at how odd the request was, coming from a King.

It was how it was no request at all… but a demand instead.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ I'd really appreciate feedback on this part... mostly because I'm not confident in posting this part at all ;w;_

_I wrote it on the bus the other day, but I just feel like it swerves too sharply in the storyline... ^^;_


	8. Chapter 8

Ludwig was growing up to be a rather cautious young man. Lately, he'd been paying more attention to his surroundings than he might have normally, to avoid certain people and areas he knew meant bad business, even just simply avoiding everyday hazards like a small child that he could stumble into or vice versa. More importantly, he was beginning to study the people around him, read them and learn what they were like. _Herr_ Alder was an older man, but he was appreciative for all he had been given and the journeys he made on a regular basis. Unlike that brat of a girl he knew from his childhood, Eloise. She had a look about her that just reeked of nobility. The upturned nose, the pout always present on her pale face. In all actuality, she was what he believed to be one of the main sparks to his sudden cautiousness.

He had stumbled upon her for the first time in… years at least. As Ludwig had always been confined to the castle, he hadn't had the ill pleasure of having to see that disgusted face. Until last week, before he had encountered you. It was a not-so rare moment when a noble family was requested to attend a dinner at the castle, to discuss upper-class things like money and politics. So, as per usual, Gilbert would get all giggly over Ludwig all dressed up in his dress uniform. It had been refitted the previous week, so the fit was almost flawless, though when he saw himself in the mirror, Ludwig felt rather washed-out in that dreary pale uniform. It was as if Gilbert was purposely trying to make him feel as uncomfortable as possible, which had always annoyed the younger sibling. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was only until the banquet had started and the noble family arrived did Gilbert achieve that goal.

Ludwig sat there, a stoic, almost bored expression on his face as the nobles chatted away with the King, who was always a social type. Gilbert suddenly called his name, and he sat up quickly in his chair, "Yes, Your Majesty?"

The noble's wife of the trio, Anna, giggled to herself and waved her hand, "My, the Prince is so formal and polite, even in his own home. A lovely trait, wouldn't you agree dearest?"

The man sitting to her right nodded once, "Ja. An epitome of royalty, just like you, Your Grace."

Gilbert grinned proudly; glad to hear how the first impressions were going. The _Frau_ had already stated twice in the barely-started evening how handsome she thought Ludwig looked in his uniform, and their daughter, Eloise, had only stared dreamily at him the whole time she was there. It obviously made Ludwig a bit uncomfortable, seeing as he glanced over to see her ogling him, and he quickly found interest in the tablecloth as he lightly tugged on the decorated collar of the uniform.

The King placed a hand on his shoulder as he made an abrupt announcement, "I believe mein bruder would make an excellent King, should the need arise for whatever reason. He exudes royalty, grace and elegance." The family nodded along as he continued, "But I still think it'd be a reasonable suggestion if I said I think he should be making plans for an engagement for later on in his life."

Ludwig almost choked on the water he had been drinking at that moment, making a rather strained sound as he covered his mouth with a cloth, "G-Gilbert, surely you would've ran this past me before making such a bold statement-"

The King smirked and cocked his head towards him, "Luddy~ You're turning 16 soon. You should be thinking about these things. You'll have to rule the Empire someday, you know…"

Eloise held a hand to her lips, suppressing her giggles of amusement as Ludwig neatly tucked the cloth away and sighed, "Ja, I know. Still, it is always more preferable to know what's being planned ahead of time. At the very least, I should've at least been aware of the fact you were arranging such an event."

A 'tch' escaped the red-eyed man, "I've dropped plenty of hints to you about it, bruder. The fancy banquets with nobles of excellent renown with lovely daughters, you never saw anything odd about it?"

Ludwig's lips pressed together into a thin line. He knew where this was going, and he quite frankly, wasn't liking it at all, "Nein, actually. I've been too focused on other things, my lessons in particular."

"Hm, yes. I noticed you've spent a lot of time with your teachers. Your determination never ceases to surprise me bruder. I wish I had the patience for such luxuries."

Eloise finally spoke up, quietly clearing her throat before doing so, "If you don't mind me prying, my Prinz, what exactly do you take lessons for?"

Most of the evening had passed with small talk between Eloise and Ludwig, while Gilbert had gone back to the two noble parents of the younger fraulein. He was under the impression that the two were getting along quite well, considering Ludwig wasn't exactly a good socializer despite his royal status. Perhaps he had kept Ludwig away from most for too long? Nonetheless, he enjoyed seeing the two mingle rather aimlessly. She seemed entirely interested in the Prinz, which would benefit Gilbert if Ludwig could swallow his pride and accept the fact that marriage was an inevitable occasion that wasn't far-off from the moment. If he'd marry a rich noble such as herself, such ties to a strong source would benefit the Kingdom in the long run, for reasons Gilbert would rarely speak aloud for fear of gossipers catching onto it.

Ludwig however, couldn't have felt more frustrated and tired at the time. He really didn't want to spend another hour or so talking with this girl. He knew the only reason she was here was because Gilbert was trying to get him to choose a bride to take, so it was out of the way and Gilbert could benefit from whatever that strange mind was planning. Though it got Ludwig wondering why he'd want to rush such a thing. Legally, Gilbert could be pushed from his position of power if Ludwig became of age and had wed, because there would be a Queen upon the throne as well. Two superpowers were apparently stronger than one, but what confused Ludwig the most was the fact that Gilbert seemed too greedy to let such a position slip between his fingers. Then again, there'd be a short span of a year in between the marriage and his rise to the throne, as he could only take it if he was seventeen… a seemingly long time away from the current moment.

He hadn't been paying any attention to what the girl was saying until she took a sharp breath and placed her hand on his softly, "Prinz Beilschmidt? Are you feeling alright?"

Ludwig's cheeks were dusted with a light pink as he quickly retracted his hand, only to receive a nasty glance from his bruder for acting rather rude, "I-I'm fine. Just thinking about things." He glanced down at the table before looking up into the girl's rather bright greeny-blue eyes, "All this news thrown upon me all at once… it leaves one's mind wandering. I hope you can understand that and forgive me for appearing so rude." He begrudgingly grasped her hands lightly, her face turning red as a beet, "I'm not used to being comforted… at least, by a lovely young woman such as yourself, _Frau_ Lindemann."

Gilbert grinned from afar as the girl lowered her head in embarrassment, both of them convinced Ludwig's false flattery to be sincere, "I-I-I don't know what to say, my liege. You're so kind-hearted and collected. When you become King, will you retain your calm attitude?"

The flaxen blonde Prinz closed his eyes as he smirked, though he was feeling like his words were poison to his ears, "One can only hope, my dear."

_Ludwig would later lie in bed and only dream of being able to wipe that disgusting grin his bruder had after he had said those words right off his face._


	9. Chapter 9

You were feeling uncontrollably nervous when walking alongside the King, arm-in-unwilling arm. It wasn't just the fact that you were suspicious of him, but it was also caused by the fact that this was a _King_ she was walking with. She couldn't see him as the tyrannous ruler, Gilbert Beilschmidt, who was a rather cocky, smart-ass kind of character. No, he was more secretive and ill-minded than she had wanted him to be. Yet, here she was, earning strange looks from the guards as they walked nowhere in particular, with his arm snaked with yours and an oddly passive look on his face. You narrowed your eyes at him as you walked, breaking the rather tense silence, "What did you bring me all the way down here for, Beilschmidt? I was led to believe you desired to speak to me."

He stopped walking and shifted his arm so you were turned to face him, "That I did, _Frau _._ That I did."

You raised a brow, "You know of me?" When he nodded, you shook your head and laughed to yourself, "How ridiculous. I work with the caravans, sir. I highly doubt you have the time to stoop to our level and find out our names-"

"Not their names. _Your_ name." He corrected.

His comment took you by pure surprise, "M-_My_ name? Whatever for? I'm hardly worth mentioning…"

He smirked, "A couple of little birds have told me that you've been meeting with my younger bruder for quite some time now. Is that true?"

Your eyes widened slightly, caught in between a debate with yourself. Did Ludwig want him to know you were associating with him? _No… he wants to run off to Österreich with our caravans. He'd want to keep it from him, just like he does most everything else._ You cleared your throat, "I've seen him wandering around die Kapitale, but I have not been confronted by him, no."

The King suddenly laughed for reasons unknown to you until he smiled at you, though some sort of malice that was ever-present in his eyes was still unnerving, "Ah, you slur our words in such an odd way. You're truly from Österreich, aren't you?" Your expression of confusion was one that merely made the man chuckle to himself again.

You then frowned and clenched your hands into fists, "St-Stop that! You're not a child, so do not act as one."

His expression changed dangerously fast, and he had an ever-so slight smirk on his lips as he released your arm at last and took a step back, raising his hands in mock defense, "I did not wish to offend you, my sweet. One cannot contain themselves forever, though. Surely you would understand that, considering you're still so young." He paused, his fingers twitching like they wanted to move somewhere, but he merely sighed and continued, "How old are you now? Around mein bruder's age, at least-"

"That's none of your business." You retorted quickly, crossing your arms in front of your chest.

He shrugged casually, "Ah, I suppose you're right. Besides, Luddy's already more mature than you seem to be." You glared at him as he proceeded to pester you, "You stay with your Schwester and cycle with the caravans between Deutschland and Österreich. You don't really have plans for the future, but Ludwig already has his laid out ahead of him. He'll soon be ruling over Deustchland, you know."

You cocked a brow, "Oh? For someone so selfish, I would've never thought those words would escape that silver tongue of yours."

His smirk was now rather malicious, "I am not as you think. I am merely seeing that mein bruder has the best future possible ahead of him. He'll be the King alongside his Queen two years from now, and _he'll_ get to deal with Deutschland's impending problems."

Your heart suddenly skipped a beat. Ludwig was engaged? She knew the rules from her mother country and this one varied quite a bit, but you supposed the nobles had the strangest of these, by far. You frowned, "He's engaged? Isn't Luddy a bit young to be married off?"

He laughed, "Of course not! He'll be turning seventeen next year, able to take the throne and rule in my place. Between you and me, it'll be nice to not be stuck with all these boring royal activities." He waved a hand dismissively, "But enough about him, my dear. Let's get back on topic, shall we? Please, sit."

He gestured to the sitting room to their left of where they stood, the large plush chairs appearing very inviting to you, "D-Danke…"

As you slowly sat down, sinking into its cushion, Gilbert swept himself into one right across from you, proceeding to cross his legs in a rather lady-like manner, "You're acting as if you might break the thing, _Frau_ _. No need to fear an item of furniture." You glared at him for a moment until his expression was not nearly as mocking, "Tomorrow begins preparations for a grand event, you know. I decided that, seeing as it will soon be yet another year from my vater's passing. I plan on bringing back a… 'pastime' that used to be oh-so popular throughout Europe. Unfortunately, with all this tension and conflict that's been rising, one does not have the resources to host such an event"

You raised a brow, "What does this have to do with me? Why tell me about this?"

His lips twitched, begging to turn back into that over-used, trademark smirk, "I'm explaining this to you, my dear, because I merely wish for you to immerse yourself into our wonderful city. As a woman who never stays in one place, I'd like for your caravans to be able to stay here for the span of the event. A week of festivities and celebration of life, bringing back a jewel from the past… Does that strike your fancy at all?"

You were curious, you had to admit. A chance to stay in die Kapitale _within_ the walls was one she never thought would come up, "Yes, actually. It sounds most interesting." You paused before sputtering out the question, "W-we'd be able to stay _in_ the city, right? Not banished to the wilderness outside the walls?"

He let his smirk crawl onto his face at your somewhat spiteful remark, "Indeed. Festivities need materials and products to sell and use. The caravans will be… invaluable. Staying within the city walls would also allow the days to begin sooner, to accommodate the population, considering it won't just be residents of die Kapitale here. I'm getting others from all corners of this kingdom to attend if they would like. Lord Edelstein and Lady Héderváry from the Österreich-Ungarn region have… _accepted_ the request, and will be in attendance as well." He seemed to ponder on his statement for a moment before quickly asking, "Have you ever met the ruler of your land in person, _Frau_ _?"

You frowned. You'd heard of Lord Edelstein from passing nobles in Österreich, and how charming and handsome the man was, though rather reclusive. He lived in a breathtakingly beautiful castle in Vienna, much more rustic and appealing than the one here in die Kapitale. They said he would sit in his study and merely write music that was believed to be rather ahead of its time, utilizing the more modern instruments made from wood, metal and horsehair that were almost exclusive to that region. You shook your head, remembering your place and where you were, "Nein. I have yet to be graced with Edelstein's presence. He's a rather reclusive yet handsome man nonetheless, from what I've overheard and been told. He is the epitome of grace and nobility."

Gilbert snorted with laughter, "Handsome? Do the people of Österreich really believe that? I've met the man before, he's not much to look at I assure you."

You sighed, remembering how unlikable Gilbert's personality and behavior were. You just wanted to be dismissed to go back to the real world outside the castle, "If you're quite done, Your Highness, I would like to be excused to return to my duties."

He pouted, almost like a child who was refrained from playing with his toys because he hadn't finished his dinner, "Ah, leaving so soon? I understand you have a commoner's life to attend to, so I will let you be excused."

You both stood up from where you sat, leaving the comfortable sitting room behind as you both wordlessly made your way towards the entrance. Before leaving, you turned to him with an inquisitive look, "Oh, if you don't mind me asking, Your Highness… what exactly do you plan to bring back with this celebration?"

He let a charming smile bless his usually sly face, "Ah, that is for you to find out, my dear." He quickly took your hand and placed a chaste kiss upon your knuckles, "I hope you'll grace me with your presence sometime soon. Your company has been rather… interesting."

Your cheeks flushed red, though whether from some sick kind of attraction or a blunt outrage at his actions was not made certain to you. You quickly bowed, gave him a final scrutinizing glance before quickly leaving the dreary place.

What the _hell_ just happened?

* * *

**A/N:** I feel like my writing's gone a bit downhill from here... I hope it'll get better later~! ^^;  
Only translation needed is _"Ungarn"_ which, in case the country/region it's merged with [or the Lady's name] didn't give it away, is Hungary c:

If I messed up anything, please let me know so I can correct it~!


	10. Chapter 10

"What do you mean, you can't take me to Österreich!? _You_ said you'd take me there, so why the sudden cancellation?" The flaxen blonde crossed his arms over his chest and wore a child-like pout on his face.

"Luddy, there's a lot of things that are going to be going on in the next couple of weeks. I can't take you to Österreich if I'm not even heading that way. Besides, the caravans are already starting to set up, and they can't just drop everything to go back now." You frowned and mimicked his arm movement, crossing your own as you scoffed, "And stop acting like a child. You're turning 16 in… a little while? Just because you're a Prinz and rich and powerful and all that doesn't mean you get everything you want when you want it. I hoped you'd realized that a long time ago."

He wore a dark glare for a few moments before sighing and running his hand through his hair. He absolutely _hated_ when you'd scold him for his behavior, as it made him feel so… inferior and dejected. He never felt as upset with you as he did his bruder, but the frustration was ever-present. He couldn't bring himself to stay in an argument he had no chance of winning in, so he just snorted once in reply and sat down on the cobblestone ledge near the square. You joined him not too long afterwards, minding your dress as you sat next to him. He was visibly worried, his brow creased and a look of exasperation cursed his young features. You both sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like ages until you spoke up softly, "I met with your bruder the other day, you know."

He looked over with a raised brow, "Oh? You had the honour of seeing the Tyrant in person, did you?"

You smirked and shook your head. He _really_ hated the man, "He… didn't _seem_ all that bad. But what concerns me more is the fact that he wanted to know if I was speaking to you at all." His expression became one of curiosity, his bright blue eyes encouraging you to spill the details of your meeting, "I told him I'd only seen you, but you hadn't approached me. He seemed… relieved to know I wasn't associated with you for some reason."

"He hates me too, you know. Probably thinks I'm a threat to his well-being and his place on the throne."

You suddenly flushed a deep shade of red, though from anger or embarrassment you couldn't be sure, "Ja… about that. He-He also told me that you were, uh… _betrothed_."

He sputtered in reply, his face flushing slightly, "I-He… What? Oh, right… Betrothed." He sighed and hung his head in his hands, "My bruder thinks it's a good idea to get me married before I'm 17. Though why he'd want to put himself in such a compromising position is beyond me. It's also kind of suspicious."

"So… you don't actually like this fraulein?"

"O-Oh, I do." He noticed your face drop and quickly added, "I mean, once the façade is gone and she weren't so bratty. Which would be… never?"

That earned a small smile from you, "Isn't that the case with most nobles?"

"More like all of them, if you ask me."

You remained in your spots on the cobblestone, watching as people went about their daily business in the square. It was rather empty out there today, seeing as most were gone to prepare for the events in the next couple weeks. It left you some breathing room, considering it was your Schwester that would be the one picking up the necessary materials from your hovel in Österreich's capital, Vienna. It made you feel more relaxed, sitting here with Ludwig on a rather quiet day with no worries of being pushed away to go back to work or having to worry about _him._

Your eyes finding their way onto Ludwig who was looking off into the distance, you noticed how his features had changed since you first met, though that was merely a month or so ago. His pale skin and flaxen blonde hair would make most look washed out and colourless, but his brilliant blue eyes were the dash of colour needed to avert attention away from the rest of his face. From his long lashes and his thin lips…

He suddenly turned and caught you staring at him, your face suddenly reddening as it had earlier, but all he could do in reply was smile and laugh softly at your embarrassment, "What on earth has gotten into you, fraulein? See something you like?"

You snorted and raised your brows at him in disbelief that he had suggested such a thing, "Aha. Only someone such as you, _Prinz_, would be so full of themselves to say such a thing." He winced slightly at your harsh jab at his pride, causing you to laugh and place your hand on his arm as a gentle gesture of apology, "Ah, don't give me that look, Luddy, I was only teasing~"

He muttered something unheard by your ears as you giggled, "You're a tease in general, dummkopf."

You blinked and looked at him innocently, "Pardon?"

His face flushed a bit as he retorted, "N-Nothing. I didn't say anything worth hearing."

You pouted slightly before draping your arm around his shoulders lightly, "Whatever you say, dummkopf. You're such an odd Junge anyway."

He flinched slightly at the contact, but still turned to you with a smirk, "And _you're_ not an odd fraulein?"

You shrugged casually at his reply, knowing he already knew your comeback. You couldn't help but realize how… comfortable it was being around him, even if he was a spoiled brat at times. What were the odds of befriending a Prinz after running into him in the square? You smiled to yourself at the thought, Ludwig noticing and raising a brow, "What's with the smile, fraulein? Or… do I even have to answer that question?"

"Nein. I don't think you have to." You paused for quite some time until you spoke up again, voicing your thoughts aloud, "Do you have any idea what event your bruder's going to be bringing back?"

He sighed and leaning into your side slightly, "Nein. You should know by now that my bruder doesn't tell me much of anything. My apologies. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens when the time arises."

You sat together like this for quite some time, earning a couple smiles and comments from passers-by, but you were both merely enjoying the peace while it lasted, as you both knew both it would quickly become chaotic in the coming days. To Ludwig, sitting next to you like this was as if his bruder wasn't King, or he was a Prinz. It felt as if he was just a regular Junge sitting with his liebchen.

His _liebchen_.

How foreign that word was to him, and what an inaccurate description of the relationship.

He frowned, but still thought over the phrase that had just run through his mind.

Liebchen.

And yet, he was forced into becoming betrothed to a fraulein he barely knew. He slid his arm around your waist and held you closer to him, you hands placing them upon his own as a sign to not continue further with his behavior.

He began muttering to himself, the last line being the only one you barely heard, "… I'd rather be betrothed to you than that dull Eloise."

Your eyes widened, not expecting the statement whatsoever. You played daft though, looking up at him and questioned in a small voice, "Did you say something?"

His face was as if it were etched in stone, unmoving and unchanging. He kept his gaze steady as his suddenly husky voice drowned out your own in the almost total silence, "_Nothing worth hearing."_

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ Hope it's an okay chapter~! I wrote this bit while waiting for concert band to start after-school [I have to wait 2 1/2 hours after school until it starts ;w;] so I hope it's better than I'm making it out to be..._

**_'Liebchen' _**_means 'darling' or 'sweetheart' ;D_

_Is this some romance we're seeing?_

_*shrugs* I can't even say myself ._._


	11. Chapter 11

_He knew she had lied to him. Did she believe him to be so stupid?_

Gilbert paced the throne room, a hand to his chin in contemplation when Ludwig walked up to the base of the stairs trailing up towards the seat of power. He cocked a brow at his bruder's behavior, but disregarded it as he called up to him, "Gilbert, you requested my presence?"

The monarch stopped walking and looked down at his bruder with a solid, serious expression on his pale face, "I shouldn't have to _request_ to see my own bruder, Ludwig."

There he went with the formal title again. Ludwig sighed, "I know, I know. I was… busy."

Gilbert suddenly turned towards him, his red eyes glaring, "Busy doing _what_ exactly? Having a lovely 'rendezvous' with that equally lovely friend of yours?" He smirked, "She's quite beautiful. You have an excellent taste in women, Luddy. Kind of like me, except I'm still more awesome."

Ludwig sneered at him. He had obviously picked up some words from one of his new allies he'd heard rumour about, from some country dubbed _'Frankreich_.' He looked off to the side as he retorted, "Too bad you're the only one who seems to believe that."

Gilbert made a 'click' sound from his tongue, quickly making his way down the steps to stand face-to-face with his bruder, "Ah-ah. That's what you're led to believe. But I must say, she seemed to enjoy my company the other day when we met. Such a lovely fraulein." His laugh fell upon deaf ears, "I might just have to wed her someday… when she's of age, of course."

Ludwig's face contorted to one of utter disgust, "You wouldn't _dare_ corrupt her in such a way… she's far too young for you!"

"And you think you'd do better?" His words caught him by surprise, ushering Gilbert to continue, "Look at yourself, Luddy. You're becoming a different man… one that, if I may say so myself, is quite frightening. You may not see it yet, she may not even see it yet, but _I_ know it's happening."

"You're talking nonsense-"

Gilbert snorted and put his hands on his hips, the sword sheathed on the side clicking against the metal on his uniform, "You keep telling yourself that." He placed a hand on Ludwig's shoulder, "But moving on to the reason why you're here anyway. Surely you've heard about the celebration of our father's reign happening in two weeks' time, and about how I'm bringing back an old 'past time' from a few decades back?" He nodded in reply, "Gut. Then I shouldn't have to explain much. I want you to participate in this main event. Tell me, how does _jousting_ sound to you?"

Ludwig narrowed his eyes, "Riding on a horse wearing a full suit of armour to go at your opponent with a wooden lance? Doesn't seem all that hard, to me."

Gilbert smirked, "Ah, but that's the thing, dear bruder. It's much more difficult than that. That's why, I wan-_ suggest_ you take lessons for it. I have many special guests who are experienced in Jousting coming early to train those I've recommended take-part. Does that interest you at all?"

He didn't hesitate to reply, "Ja, it does. But who would I be up against?"

Gilbert shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh, that's for you to find out, bruder. But trust me, either you'll be impressed, or they will be." He clapped his shoulder, "I'm glad to see you so eager to participate. I'd wish you luck, but that'd be awfully early for matches scheduled two weeks from now, wouldn't you agree?"

Ludwig smirked in the presence of his bruder for the first time in a while, "Ja, that would be a waste of luck." He paused before raising a brow, "When would this training begin?"

Gilbert laughed, "Why, tomorrow afternoon, of course! The 'veterans' are already on their way here as we speak. They will arrive tonight, just in time for a lovely banquet I've put aside for us. You're welcome to join, of course."

That offer was so tempting to Ludwig, but he also didn't want to fall prey to one of Gilbert's charades again. He hesitated before responding, "J-Ja. I suppose I could join for a little while."

The King clapped his hands together, "Sehr gut~! I simply cannot wait to see how well my bruder does against the others when the days arrive!" He began to walk away, presumably to his chambers. He quickly glanced at him over his shoulder and offered a friendly wink, "I hope you fare well, dear bruder."

He couldn't stop himself from smiling once he had left him be. A chance to prove his worth and to make a name for himself in the kingdom? He'd be mad to pass up such a chance. He'd have to go find you to explain why he'd be gone, though. He departed quickly, running out of the throne room and out of the castle, eager to find you in the areas you'd been frequenting lately.

* * *

You were sitting on a ledge where some stairs cut into the road-side, your legs dangling and swinging without a care in the world. You'd have to start helping out your Schwester with the preparations soon, which you weren't exactly looking forward to. Nevertheless, it was a responsibility you'd been born into, and you'd carry out the task, even if it meant hating it the entire time. What you _hadn't_ been expecting was Ludwig rushing over to you from seemingly nowhere, winded but a charming smile plastered on his face.

You raised a brow at his antics, "What's got you in such a rush, Luddy? Late for something?"

"Nein, nein. I just… wanted to tell you something." He saw your expression change to one of curiosity as he took a place next to you on the ledge, "I'm going to be participating in the events that are going on a couple weeks from now. I… wanted to just say that I won't be around much, since Gilbert suggested I train for it."

"You're going to listen to him for once? That's a surprise."

He smiled and shook his head, "Crazy, isn't it? I must admit, he's not wrong about it being a good idea. It's just… got me confused."

You frowned at him, "What's confusing you, Luddy?"

He sighed and leaned back on his hands, "Well… I'm not sure, exactly. It's just… Gilbert's suddenly become kind of… _good_. Like he actually recognizes me as his bruder right now. But right after I met you and leading up to that point, he _hated_ me. I don't know what's causing his change of attitude, but I'm not liking it."

"You don't like having your bruder act like, well… a _bruder_ to you?"

"Nein, it's not even that," He shook his head again, "I'm more worried about what he's planning. He's _never_ like this unless he's getting something in return-"

You noticed how he cut himself off and glared at the cobblestone beneath his feet after sitting up. You gently put a hand on his arm as you had done once before, "What's wrong? What were you going to say?"

You flinched when you saw the look in his eyes when he whispered just loud enough for you to hear, "You would never consider courting my bruder, would you?"

If his face hadn't been so gravely serious, you would've laughed at the stupidity of the question. Instead, you quickly shook your head, "N-Nein! I would _never_ want to even imagine being stuck with him for more than necessary, let alone be dragged down into an engagement." You paused before choosing your words carefully, "Why… are you asking?"

His hands clenched into fists as he bit his lower lip, "B-Because… Because he-"

He cut himself off when he looked over suddenly to see the last man he'd wanted to be caught being with you with.

Gilbert.

The smirk plastered on his face was almost frightening as he placed his hands on his hips, "Well, well, well. I finally caught the two of you together. It was only a matter of time, I assure you." He swiftly made his way over to you two, standing near the ledge and his eyes watching both of you intently, "Bruder, your 'business' is going to leave a rather scandalous impression on the people if they found out."  
"What are you doing here, Gilbert?"

He ignored his bruder's question, instead looking towards you and faking pain by placing his hand over his heart and furrowing his brow, "It breaks my heart to know you lied to me earlier, fraulein. It really, _really_ does."

You only frowned at him as Ludwig shot him a glare and scoffed, "Don't you have more important business to attend to, rather than spy on me like you usually do?"

Gilbert made a 'tisk' sound as he leaned on the ledge, "Nein, actually. I have some time to spare before our banquet tonight, so I decided to stretch my legs and check up on my bruder~ Is there anything wrong with that?"

"There's a banquet tonight?"

The bruders turned to look at you and noticed your eyes were wide and bright. Gilbert laughed in response, "Aha! That there is, fraulein. You're welcome to join, if you don't mind being accompanied by some foreign friends of mine that are visiting, along with some of Luddy's new teachers."

Ludwig tried to talk you out of it, "It's more of a… formal meeting. I don't know if you'd want to sit there and listen to rather dull subjects-"  
Gilbert clapped a hand on Ludwig's shoulder, though it ended up being more of a tap that almost pushed him over, "Where'd your enthusiasm from before drain away to? Or… are you just trying to discourage our guest?"

He quickly retorted, "N-Nein, I'm just saying that-"

You spoke up, albeit a bit quietly, "What do royals eat, anyway?"

Both of them once again looked at you, though at disbelief at the only concern on your mind at the moment. You couldn't help it if you were curious about the cuisine. The most you and your sister ate was _nothing_ compared to what she'd overheard nobles mention. Though you both were traders, most of the money was put back into keeping up the stock, while what was left would go towards dinner. Gilbert smirked at you as he noticed you began to stare off into space, deep in thought, "I suppose you'll just have to attend and find out. Of course, I'd have to teach you proper table manners beforehand. I can't have someone eating like a Barbarian in there when royalty is present."

Ludwig caught the jab at your background and gave his bruder a knowing look, but you seemed to let the insult fly right over your head, "Ah, yes. Of course, Your Majesty. Anything to eat more than bread and Kaninchen for dinner, though my Schwester will be awfully upset to hear she missed such a thing."

Gilbert's eyes seemed to light up at the mention that you had a sister, and he showed mock sadness, "Ah, that is most unfortunate news, my Taube. We will have to arrange another event when your Schwester can attend, as I'm sure she'd enjoy the company."

"More likely, she'd just want to try your fancy desserts. She has a thing for sweets."

The platinum-blonde man let out a hearty chuckle, "I shall have to arrange for the finest desserts to be laid out for her then!"

Ludwig never stopped glaring at his bruder. He was just trying to flatter you to get on your good side, couldn't you see that? And that pet name… calling you his 'Taube'. He knew Gilbert didn't even _like_ those damned birds, no matter how holy they were. He then realized that perhaps this was a _good_ thing. He could keep an eye on you and not have to worry about his bruder trying anything behind his back. Though he knew that there was obviously some hidden motive behind the sudden invite, which Gilbert _never_ did, he sighed and gave in, "Ja, I suppose it couldn't hurt having you around for dinner. It'd be a nice change, from all the _dull_ nobles I have to dine with normally."

Gilbert shot his bruder a quick look before agreeing slowly, "Indeed. Monotonous subjects are a common find amongst the common rabble."

Another indirect attack at your background, and Ludwig was automatically placed into a defensive mood. He quickly slid his arm around your shoulders, earning a surprised squeak from you as he bowed towards his bruder, "Then may I offer to escort her to the castle, Your Highness? Surely there's other business to check up on before returning home and dining tonight. Also, ___ will need a change of attire." You shot him a rather concerned glance until he finished, "To dine with royalty, once must be prepared to dress like one, at the very least."

You didn't seem to enjoy that idea, quickly throwing in your opinion, "I don't have to wear one of those awful corsets I've heard so much about, do I?"

Gilbert smirked, more to himself than anything, "Not unless you want to, but it's recommended… _if_ you want to fit into a proper dress. Though there may be some form of alternative. They'll figure it out once you're there, I assure you."

The two of you parted from Gilbert to make your way to the castle, with Gilbert pressing a kiss upon your hand once again and giving a polite nod to his bruder before you made your leave. You couldn't help but be slightly concerned for Ludwig, as he mumbled angrily to himself the whole walk there. The knights straightened as they pass by the outer gates and into the castle's courtyard, as Ludwig had directed you through the back-way instead of the usual, front-door approach.

He paused, making you stop with him, in front of the entryway, with him looking away from you and sighing drearily, "This is going to be a _long_ night, I can already tell."

* * *

**A/N:** Since I won't be here tomorrow [today, if you want to get technical .], I decided to post this now instead of afterwards~  
I hope it's not too... weird.  
I mean, Gilbert's being a pedo again, but then again he's going to have some interesting friends over in the next part or so... maybe that'll shed some light on it? /slappedforbeingsounsure/  
WOO~ A part with over 2 000 words? I got FAR too carried away with this part, I think ;w;

* * *

**Translations:**

**_Frankreich_**_ = 'France'_

_**Sehr Gut**__ = 'Very good' [*May be translated improperly. Correct me if this is true]_

_**Kaninchen**__ = 'Rabbit' [*Correct me if it's wrong]_

_**Taube**__ = 'Dove' [*It also apparently means 'Pigeon as well... I think they're from the same genus/family though cx]_


	12. Chapter 12

The servants that worked in the castle were almost sickeningly nice when they attempted to put you into a lovely dress from the stack or two that were pulled out for you. It made your mind wander to the question of why these were in the castle anyway, when the only rulers living here were male, but you shrugged it off as you noticed one of the girls were in the process of unfolding a dress that had a corset with it. You quickly expressed your concern, "I-I'd rather _not_ wear a dress that comes with one of those… _things_."

The girl, small and frail in appearance gave you an odd glance, "But my lady, almost all women your age are accustomed to wearing the corset. These dresses are made to fit with one… surely you can make an exception-"

"Well, I'm part of that 'almost' that _doesn't_ wear those." You noticed how harsh the comment sounded, so you softened your expression a bit, "Isn't there any kind of an alternative? One that doesn't involve me being crushed in one of them?"

The women looked at each other as if communicating with their eyes until another one spoke up, "Well… there's always a less corset-like brassiere. You'd still have to have it laced up though, but it's cut a bit differently. Other than that, there's no alternative I'm afraid."

You sighed, knowing you'd be stuck in one of the dreadful things one way or another, "Fine, I'll wear a corset. But if I die from asphyxiation, it's not my fault."

They smiled a little at your comment before continuing to sift through the gowns and asking your opinion on them, "This one would compliment your eyes quite nicely, my Lady."

"Oh, this one would look perfect on you, my Lady."

"I think the Highnesses will approve of this one very much."

In the end, you just chose one that was a rich burgundy colour, with a dark leather corset and open, flowy sleeves. The cut was rather low for your liking, but it was still decent enough to wear to such an event without seeming like you wanted to attract the attention of every man in the world. You were pleased with your choice, until one of the girls piped up, "Um, my Lady… before you try on the gown, we need to put your corset on."

You regretted agreeing to wear the dreadful thing, as one of the maids was now lacing it up rather tightly as you leaned forward while covering up your bare chest with your arms, a blush covering your face and even your shoulders. It was only when one of the Highness' themselves walked in did you sink ever further into your sea of regret. At least it had been Ludwig who walked in, donning his formal uniform he had worn to see Eloise in, stopping in the middle of asking what was taking so long when he assessed the situation and abruptly covered his eyes and turned around. Had it been Gilbert that walked in, he would've had nothing wrong with the sight. You sighed in relief, only to be tugged back once again by the laces on the corset. The maid winced as you glared back at her, "I-Is it tight enough, my Lady?"

"Well, how tight is it _supposed_ to be?"

She gave a concerned look over at the Prinz's back and then quickly went back to you, "Well… most who wear a corset for the first time tend to, um… bleed a bit. Well… cough up a tiny bit of blood, if that makes it less extreme-"

You spun around, still covering your chest as you yelled at the girl, "I'm supposed to _bleed_ while in this thing!? I-I-I don't even want to know… Nein, nein. Don't tighten it anymore, I beg of you."

She bowed as she quickly finished tucking the laces away after tying them in place, "Ja, of course my Lady. Anything you wish."

Ludwig peeked over his shoulder to see you turn to the side so the servant could place the dress on you. He only noticed how pale and thin you were when he had the common sense to look away again. After the girl tied up the silk laces on the front where the neck scooped down, you smoothed out the front and happened to look up at Ludwig, who was still looking away, "You know you could turn around now, Luddy. I got this stupid thing on already so it's not like you'll see anything…"

He did indeed turn around, only to notice how such a dark dress brought out the colour of your skin and eyes rather wonderfully. You looked uncomfortable though, and he probably would too if he were you. Corsets looked most uncomfortable, and the way they're tightened… it'd probably snap some younger girls in half if tightened too much. His eyes scanned over you until he cleared his throat, "Ah, you look most elegant, _. I'd say you should dress-up more often, but I'm sure that corset is a _nightmare_. Don't know how those noble women do it."

You both shared a laugh and you quickly retrained yourself as to not lose too much air in between breaths, "Ah, indeed. That is something that makes them either very brave, or very stupid. But I'm glad you can appreciate this thing. I would too, if I could breathe like a normal person."

As a servant quickly tidied up your hair, Ludwig walked over to you and smiled, "It's a nice colour on you… although that neckline is cut a bit low for you I'd think."

You gave him a serious look, "Why are you looking there in the first place?"

The servants giggled at his stammering and his red face, "I-I, well. I mean, it's not like I'm _staring_, it's hard to not notice, is all. I-I didn't mean it in any-er… _suggestive_ way-"

You laughed a little and placed your hand on his forearm, as you had been doing as a friendly gesture to him for the past while, "I know, Luddy. You don't have to explain it so much. I actually must say that I agree with you on that matter entirely. Much too low for my taste."

Luddy still smiled as he offered his arm, "At least you know how to be modest, my friend. Many girls your age would probably wear something lower and tighter. But you're not them, so it's not even applicable." He cleared his throat before smirking a bit when you took his offered arm, "Let's get this night over with, shall we?"

"Don't sound so excited, Luddy. Don't you want to meet your new teachers?"

He sighed, "It's not them I don't want to see… it's Gilbert's new allies. They're _obnoxious_ in their own ways. Gilbert gets along with them perfectly fine, although once you see how they interact, I'm sure you'll understand."

You gave him a sympathetic look as you both began to make your way to the dining hall for your 'crash course' in table etiquette, "Ah. So they're like… troublesome boys you see running around being mischievous?"

The blonde laughed, "That's… one way to describe it. Except these are grown men and not mere 'boys'." His face twisted slightly as he muttered, "That's the worst part about it. He tends to act like a total Arschloch with them around."

You were surprised by his sudden, foul curse he'd slipped in with the sentence. He never swore, but it didn't actually bother you when that happened. You raised a brow, "I was under the impression you were a Prinz, not a Pirat, Luddy."

He quickly shook his head, 'I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't let such foul language seethe from my lips, _. Especially before a banquet."

You shrugged, "Well, better to let it out now, than when we're in there."

* * *

You both emerged through the door into the large, high-ceilinged dining hall, where Gilbert already sat alongside a couple men you had never seen before. They appeared to be foreigners, especially the male to his right, with their appearance. Gilbert's eyes trailed up to the two of you, his companions' gazes doing the same as he stood up with a sly grin, "Ah, mein bruder und mein Taube have finally arrived!"

Ludwig scoffed to himself while the man to Gilbert's left piped up, "Oh! You never told us that your frère was so handsome and young! And the young woman that is with him, ohonhonhon~ Elle est très belle!"

You both gracefully made your way over to their side of the grand table, still arm-in-arm. The man who spoke the strange language softly grasped your hand and placed a kiss upon it, "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, mon chère."

You smiled awkwardly, finding his accent rather odd in your ears and his language… gritty yet smooth at the same time. Ludwig nodded to him when the blonde foreign man acknowledged him, while your eyes strayed over to the man now directly across the table from you. He had the most striking combination of green eyes and tanned skin, his hair ruffled and dark. He noticed your unintentional staring and smiled widely, "Like what you see, chica?" He sent you a playful wink before taking your hand and letting his lips glide across it, "Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, 'Duke' of España, at your service, milady."

Ludwig had a slightly annoyed look in his eyes when you glanced over at him, but he didn't seem to take it to heart. The blonde from before quickly stood up and sounded overly dramatic, "I am _so_ sorry, mon chère, how could I be so rude? I am Francis Bonnefoy. 'Duke' of France and its commonwealth."

You gave an odd look before Ludwig nudged your side slightly, reminding you to curtsy, "Ah, yes. It is a pleasure to meet you both." She turned towards Gilbert and curtsied again, "Your Majesty. A pleasure to see you again, as always."

After the proper greetings had taken place, you were seated among the men; Ludwig to your left, Gilbert taking the head of the table and Antonio and Francis were seated across from you. You were nervous about being around the foreign duo in particular, as they both seemed just as loud and obnoxious as Ludwig had described Gilbert to be. The King beforehand, had quickly demonstrated the basics of proper dinner etiquette, while his colleagues had watched with slight interest, though probably more towards you than the actual situation. You wore an awkward smile when Gilbert had asked you about your Schwester, "So, my little Taube… you mentioned earlier today that you had a Schwester?" He leaned on his hands, which were laced together, "What is she like? Describe her for me, would you?"

You swallowed nervously as all eyes were on you, the three adults eying you like prey while Ludwig gave you a reassuring nod, "I-well… we don't exactly _look_ alike. I don't exactly remember why that was, but all I know for sure is that she had different mutter." You paused before clearing your throat to continue further, "She's quite a bit taller than I am… better, uh… _filled-out_, too. She doesn't focus on her appearance that much, though many have attempted to court her." You added hastily, "Thank goodness she's stubborn on running her caravan instead. Else I wouldn't be here right now."

Antonio piped up, "Oh, so your sister is one of those merchants with the caravans? I might've seen her before, then." Francis gave him a surprised look, and the Spanish man continued, "The caravans from here started visiting us not too long ago. Gave us some much-needed supplies, after our-uh… little _dispute_ we had."

"We have yet to have a visit from these merchants you speak of. What are they like? Are they nobles with an equally noble cause, or- No. They _must_ be commoners, oui?" Francis leaned forward in his chair to speak to both his ally and yourself.

You frowned, "We are not '_commoners_', and my sister wouldn't have gone to visit your… country. We are from Österreich-"

The two men gave each other looks, "Oster-what?"

Ludwig rested his cheek on his hand, "_Österreich_. She's saying she's from 'Autriche', dummkopfs."

The Frenchman gasped in realization, ignoring the insult entirely as his Spanish friend shook his arm, "What, what'd he say?"

"He said she's from 'Autriche'. That's '_Austria_', for you, Antonio."

His crisp green eyes lit up as the Frenchman's blue ones had, "Oh, you mean where that stuck up Arch-duke lives? The one Gilbert hates on all the time?"

Gilbert's face broke out into an uncontrollable smirk, "Ja, that'd be the one."

You looked over at Ludwig in time to see the poor Junge bury his face in his hands in frustration at their stupidity. You discreetly placed a reassuring hand on his knee, smiling a little when he looked over at you. You then turned to glare at Gilbert, "He's not that bad, Gil-_Your Highness_."

The two foreign men snickered to themselves at the fact you had almost let a casual name slip out in conversation, while Gilbert's brow creased with little to no actual concern, "_You_, my Taube, have not yet met the man. Therefore, you have no reason to defend him."

"He is my ruler, and a main part of my life, I'll tell you. I was the one who actually comes from that country. _You_ have no reason to slander his name with insults that would befit one of those stupid nobles you always hang with." You looked at the two foreigners and quickly added, "Not including you two, obviously."

There was a rather tense pause before the two men looked at each other and guffawed at both you and, presumably, the King. Antonio pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye, "Listen to the chica go! I've never heard a woman be so… so _fierce_ and stand-offish. It's rather amusing, really!"

The Frenchman joined in with a gesture with the hand that held his mug of wine, "Oui, but how does such an act make his Royal Highness feel?"

Gilbert crossed his arms and smirked, "She's merely acting daft. I do not feel threatened, if that is what you're suggesting."

You scowled slightly before remembering your place at this table and you immediately backed down. Ludwig cleared his throat, "Perhaps now would be the time to move onto business, Your Highness? That _is_ what we are gathered here for, is it not?"

Gilbert sighed and creased his brow, "You always know how to kill the mood, bruder. Even a King needs to relax and have some fun every once in a while."

"And even a Prinz like myself knows when to get back onto the topic at hand, _bruder_."

The tension silenced everyone in the room, Antonio and Francis awkwardly sipping their drinks and fidgeting with their hands as they looked around awkwardly. You decided to kill the silence, "Well, uh… my King. How do you expect the upcoming events to go?"

His attention was quickly taken off of Ludwig's fuming and was averted to you, letting a smile cross his face, "Ah, if all goes according to plan, die Kapitale shall do well. Who knows? Perhaps hosting such an event will earn us some new allies when they hear of how successful it was."

"One can only hope."

Francis looked between the two of you as you spoke so timidly to one another after the heated comments between Ludwig and Gilbert and raised a brow, "With the way you two speak to one another in comparison to your bruder, Your Majesty, I must ask if this is because you're attempting to court her?"

You had been sipping on your drink when you suddenly threw yourself into a coughing fit, having swallowed the beverage all wrong after that comment. Ludwig placed a hand on your back as you tried to regain your proper posture. Ludwig glared at his bruder but spoke to the Frenchman, "I didn't realize Gilbert was attempting to court at all, my liege."

Gilbert waved off his informality error and smirked, "I've been open to the suggestion, bruder. Did I never mention that?"

"You never mention _anything_ to me, dummkopf. Besides, what's the point of throwing me into an arranged marriage if you yourself are looking to marry? Beats the purpose, does it not?"

He shrugged, "It looks good on the noble population. They have more power than you think, Luddy~ Marrying into one of them would be beneficial for our bloodline. How else do you think it came to be?"

You shot a concerned glance at Ludwig, who seemed to be getting worked up once again as he continued to disrespect his bruder in front of his allies, "I'm not that daft Gilbert, but that's no excuse to begin courting girls that are at least _seven years_ your minor!"

He raised a brow, "Do you have an issue with whom I choose to take interest in? Seems to me you've taken a liking to hanging around commoners…"

He trailed off, but Ludwig carelessly threw himself back into the conversation, "You're making no sense, you dummkopf! You're thinking of courting a commoner yourself, and-"

He instantly realized his mistake, and his bruder's intention behind that stagnant comment he'd made. You shot Ludwig an offended look, wondering how in the world the conversation had escalated so quickly before the actual dinner had even started. You quickly piped in when he only stammered, "Is that how you see me, Ludwig?"

"N-No, I never meant it like that-"

"Well, it sure sounded like it did! Just because I'm a 'commoner' doesn't mean I am not an equal to anyone else in this room. Can you ever get that stupid posh attitude drilled out of your head?!"

"_, it was a slip of the tongue, I swear-"

Gilbert decided to cut in, "Ludwig, I thought I had taught you better than that. How disappointing."

He turned and pointed accusingly to the platinum blonde-haired man, "_You_ were the one who instigated this whole mess in the first place! You're twisting my words around when I'm trying to make things right!"

He 'tisked', "How am I twisting your words around, my bruder? I am merely stating that it was wrong of you to say such a cruel thing, and that you should apologize to the Taube-"

Ludwig suddenly slammed his hand down on the table, making Francis jump slightly and almost spill his wine on his overcoat, "I am _not_apologizing for something I never said! And stop calling her that! She's not a pet, you… you…"

You hastily stood up and smoothed out the front of your dress, "So now you're trying to deny the fact you insulted me by calling me a commoner? Unbelievable."

Ludwig began to panic when you abruptly began to make your way out of the room. He stammered uncontrollably with a mixture of anger and regret as he reached for you, "_, _bitte_. I never meant for it to sound that way-"

He was abruptly cut off by a harsh stinging sensation on the left side of his face, and the gasps of surprise coming from the two spectators. You turned to him, visibly seething with anger, "_Nein_. Don't touch me, dummkopf. Why not go back to being a stuck-up, pompous Arsch like you were before? It suits your nickname after all." You took a few steps away from him, your eyes aching as if you were going to cry but no tears were forming, "And about that escort to my homeland…" You turned your back to him, "You're on your own now, _brat_."

And with that, you were gone, leaving a devastated Prinz behind to be judged by his peers who sat silent as the reality had set in.

* * *

**A/N:** To keep this brief, all I'll really say is that this took a lot of time, checking over, sending to a friend to be checked over, and a lot of time formatting on deviantART.  
And god, I hope it's worth it ;w;

This, uh... would've been published yesterday and a bit earlier, but was acting up yesterday night, and we had our power cut off this morning soo... :'D

* * *

**Translations [In order of appearance, including language /German, French, Spanish/]:**

**Arschloch:** Asshole/Arsehole

_[a vulgar term, can be taken either in an American or British context, with both meaning the same thing, obviously]_

**Pirat:** Pirate

_/in case someone just assumed I misspelled it or something cx/_

**Taube:** Dove

_[Also means pigeon apparently, but was meant to be taken as 'Dove', I think they're from the same genus anyway cx]_

**Frère:** Brother

_[Can't believe I forgot what this was for a while, even after taking French for six years ;w;]_

**Elle est très belle:** She is very pretty/beautiful

_[Unless of course, my French is horrid and I got this mixed up with something else. I never really paid attention in French class, soo...]_

**Mon chère:** My love

_[Now, Google is insisting it's actually 'mon cher' or 'mon cheri', and it could quite possibly be right. Like I said, I never paid much attention in French, and only retained bits and pieces. You get the just of what was meant to be said though... right?]_

**Chica:** Girl

_/oneofveryfewSpanishwordsiknow/_

**España:** Spain

**Oui:** Yes

**_/Do I really have to translate Austria twice even though it's clearly stated in the fic? ;D/_**

**Bitte**: Please

**Arsch:** Ass/arse


	13. Chapter 13

The first couple days of the festivities had gone over rather well, despite them being mere appetizers leading up to today, which marked the beginning of the Jousting matches. Ludwig sat hunched over the saddle as he rode his steed at a slow walk, careful not to bump into too many people along the way. The armour he was already donning was ridiculously heavy, despite his training with it. He had his helmet clipped to the animal's right flank, as he'd rather be able to see what he's doing and not overheat more than he already was. Making his slow way to the area that had been marked off as the ring, he followed the general flow of the first people making their own way there early to get a good view when it began, a few casting his curious glances. Most of them probably wouldn't have known who he was, were it not for the royal insignia engraved in his chest plate, and the Iron Cross that was attached to the horse's harnessing on the front. Many hadn't had the luxury of seeing the young Prinz in person, having only heard of him, and a couple of them bowed their heads in respect. Ludwig had no intentions of straightening his posture until he entered the ring.

Sitting up straight in the saddle, he heard the murmur in the crowd when he came through the archway and made his way over to the area on the ground nearest to his bruder, who sat overlooking the ring in a throne just for this purpose. You were sitting next to him alongside Antonio and Francis in a rather plain looking seat, though you looked more like a favoured servant girl rather than a woman who had taken to his company. Your eyes met his for a moment, before he moved his gaze to Gilbert has he halted the animal in front of the stands below him. They gave each other hard stares until the King spoke up, "You look very good in that armour, Luddy~ Vater would be most proud. _I'm_ fairly proud myself, as a matter of fact." He narrowed his eyes, his smirk never leaving his lips, "Just make sure you put on a spectacular show, bruder. We don't want to disappoint, do we?"

"Nein, there'd be no fun in that."

The red-eyed man laughed, "You'll do fine, I'm sure. Just remember what you were taught, and you'll rise to the top of what could be a promising career for you."

Antonio and Francis, seemingly done with their business with the King, made their way over to their own reserved seats in a row over from the King's vantage point. They gave Ludwig a simultaneous nod as they passed by him, the latter returning the gesture as his hands clenched and unclenched with an uncomfortable unease. Ludwig then glanced over to see the other Dukes of the lands making up the kingdom of Deutschland. Arch-Duchess Elizaveta and Arch-Duke Roderich sat side by side, closest to Gilbert's area, though the Lady was casting him weary glances every once in a while. Antonio and Francis sat near one another, and a young blonde-haired girl sat alone on the other side of Gilbert, opposite the others, though her purpose for being there was unknown to him at the moment.

After watching on the sidelines for what seemed to be hours, Ludwig's new squire came over to him, announcing that he was the next opponent the consecutive winner was to Joust. He nodded as he took his helmet from the boy, "Danke, Hans."

Hans, who had been the one you had met before without Ludwig's prior knowledge and merely a page at the time, smiled a little, "I'm sure you'll do well out there, mein Prinz. It'll be a wonderful opportunity to make a decent first-impression."

Ludwig snorted, "Just a decent one? Let's hope it's a bit more than that."

Hans took the reins of Ludwig's charcoal-tinted steed and, as soon as the Prinz had mounted the animal, began to escort it from the stables to the field, where the announcer had finished his grand unveiling of the Prinz of Deutschland as the final competitor for the day and up against the reigning champion. His visor flipped up so he could still see the area, his blue eyes scanned the crowd that cheered for him, some looking like they'd never see something like this again in their lifetimes. He lifted a hand up as a returned gesture to their positive feedback on his entrance, glancing around with a smile that was hidden from view behind the chin of the helm. Hans had his head somewhat lowered, as if trying to make sure he wasn't blocking anyone's view of the young royal. The horse and Prinz were led into the ring in their respective lane. Ludwig glanced over at the other knight at the other end of the track, donning dull metal armour with decorative war paint in the insignia of his country's coat of arms. Or perhaps it was his family's? He had no idea, and the man's partially visible face didn't look familiar to him at all, causing him to become curious of just whom he was set to face against. His hands clutched the reins that were now handed to him tightly, as the countdown before the match began was soon to begin. He brought a hand up to lower his visor, severely limiting his vision to the slit opening below his eyes and on the bridge of his nose, causing him to have to tilt his head back slightly in order to see in from of him. The knight across from him did the same, giving a curtsy in the form of a nod that Ludwig returned before taking his lance that was handed to him and weighing it slightly in his hand.

He felt so damn clunky in that suit or armour though, but at least the lance in his hand was light enough, being made from hollow wood. After shifting himself in the saddle into a more comfortable and steady position, he awaited the signal that would mark their inbound battle's beginning. The warning flag was raised, making both he and his opponent stiffen with anticipation and perhaps apprehension. His chin still tilted up so he could keep an eye on his opponent, his hands beginning to sweat with nervousness, as this was his first official Jousting tournament. The mere moments it had been in between the flags being raised felt endless, until finally, the final flag was raised abruptly with a horn blaring to signal the start of the engagement. He swiftly gave a kick to the horse's flank, the animal responding by taking off suddenly at a full gallop, almost taking Ludwig by surprise. Perhaps it had been his own nervousness that caused it, but the animal maintained its course, tearing down the lane and quickly approaching the enemy. He lifted the lance up straight when engagement was near; clutching it until he was sure his knuckles were turning white.

Time seemed to slow once again just before the two opponents met, Ludwig putting his entire focus upon staying on his steed and not getting knocked off with that lance. He could swear he caught glimpse of the delicate detailing on the man's horse before quickly tilting his head down to fully engage him. The lance's impact pushed Ludwig against the back of the saddle slightly as he attempted to keep his upper body as sturdy and straight as he could with the amount of recoil that had hit him like a rush. His lance made a sickening crack as it was crushed against his opponent's armour chest plate, splintering and sending shards of wood out onto the dusty ground. He felt his arm shift further backward than anticipated, and he quickly threw himself forward, back into a straight sitting position on the saddle, continuing forward and expecting to hear the sound of the man falling upon the ground.

The sound never came though, as excited cheers erupted from the crowd and Ludwig's steed reached the end of the track, allowing him to lift up his visor for a moment to see what exactly had happened back there. His opponent, though half-fallen from his horse, was struggling back into the saddle, his lance still as intact as it had been before. That meant that it had missed its target, and perhaps the man had lowered his head too soon. He glanced over to Ludwig after getting his bearings back, lifting up his own visor and sending him a small but impressed smirk. Ludwig returned the gesture and nodded, but then glanced down to look at his own lance. It had shattered down almost to the hilt, losing most of its six feet with one pass. Hans hurried over to him and placed a hand on the horse while he looked up at him, "My Prinz, you did very well for your first round."

Ludwig's expression remained blank as he handed what was left of the lance to the young man, "Well, but I'm down one lance."

Hans remained optimistic, "But you got two points for that blow to his chest plate, my liege. Two more strikes like that, and you'll be able to win this thing. If you can stay on your steed for that long."

He let a smirk pass over his face, "That is very true, my friend, and I think I'm capable of attempting that. Now, go fetch another lance. I don't want to keep my opponent waiting."

He quickly nodded, his short yet wavy blonde hair moving with the motion and he quickly set off to do as he was told. Ludwig gave the horse he was on a reassuring pat on the side of its neck while mumbling to mostly the equine than himself, "You're doing well, my beasty friend. I just need you to keep your cool until we're through, and then you'll be free to have your oats then."

The horse snorted and stamped its hoof down in reply, tossing its head slightly at the mention of its favorite treat. Its deep brown eyes suddenly turned to look over in the general direction of where his opponent still sat upon his own chestnut-coloured steed. His squire was looking over his armour for any major flaws, but the knight seemed to care less about it, simply waving off his gestures at the new dent in the chest plate. His eyes briefly darted over towards Ludwig, but then quickly found their place as he seemed to glance past the Prinz, proceeding to bring a hand up to lower the visor of his helmet and quickly taking the lance back from the squire. Ludwig turned to see that Hans had returned with an almost identical-looking lance, though in prime condition unlike the one he had just shattered to pieces upon the enemy. Making a mental note to try and speak to the knight he was confronting after their battle, as it was strictly against the rules for anyone but a knights own Squire to speak to them during the match, he snapped down his own helmet and took the weapon from Hans, nodding to him and proceeding to his position along the side of the fence of the track.

The signal went up once more, and the two opponents tore down the track towards one another, lances raised and ready. The situation was very much like it was before, time seeming to slow just before impact. This time however, it was Ludwig who felt the brunt of impact this time. Though his lance once again hit his opponent, the opposing lance took him by surprise and his breath hitched in his throat as he tried to endure the rest of the impact and remain on his horse. Fate was not on his side it seemed, as Ludwig continued his fall backwards, his legs unable to stay dug into the horse's side as he slipped off the back. His armour made a rather unpleasant clunking sound as what little of the world he could see through his helm went tumbling as he hit the ground, his horse's clunking hooves coming to a stop as it realized its rider was knocked off its back. There was no time to just lie on the ground however, even though he would've rather taken his time standing back up in his clunky suit of armour. He shuffled into a standing position, watching as his opponent turned his steed to look back at Ludwig as he had obviously heard his fall. Quickly dismounting, he drew the sword that was sheathed to his side and began to make his way over to where Ludwig now stood. The young Prinz did the same, readying himself for what would be either his means to success or defeat in this match.


	14. Chapter 14

It seemed simple enough when you stated it out loud; all he had to do was land a blow upon his opponent that would knock him onto both knees. But when it was actually about to happen, it wasn't that simple at all. His opponent was taller than he was, and obviously had much more experience in the sport than Ludwig would probably ever have. To add to his increasing despair, he had never been good with handling swords, as he always found they never behaved like he'd want them to. Then again, it'd be a huge strike against the rules had he brought in an axe or hammer of sorts, so he was stuck with a longsword.

There was no instantaneous battle. The two merely began to circle one another, waiting to catch the other off-guard or when they believed the opponent's eyes were glancing away even for a moment. Ludwig was forced into the defensive when his foe suddenly lunged at him, swinging the blade at low torso-level and putting most of his weight behind it, though keeping enough on his back leg to ensure he didn't stumble. The Prinz quickly stumbled backwards as a way of retreating from the strike, narrowly missing the blade and giving him almost no time to quickly parry the next strike. The sweat was dripping down his face off his brow as he continued to block the heavy strikes the unknown Knight threw at him. Trying to keep his breathing as steady as he could, Ludwig finally made an offensive stance and deflected his opponents blade away from him, giving him enough time to attempt a quick counter-strike of his own. The man moved faster though, his armoured boots digging into the dirt as he mirrored Ludwig's move and landed a blow on the Prinz's side. Ludwig stumbled and almost fell over on his side, supporting himself with a hand and found himself down on one knee. The man was strong, whoever he was. He cast a fleeting glance over in the direction of you and Gilbert, and happened to take in the fact that Gilbert was sending you a rather… salacious glance behind your back, your eyes diverted towards him and his opponent. Something burned and bubbled up inside him when he saw that, and quickly had to recollect himself and parry another strike from his foe, suddenly longing to be finished this match already whether he won or not.

When his opponent was vulnerable for that fraction of a moment right after he parried the stranger's strike, he placed both hands tightly on the hilt of his sword and carelessly threw his weight behind the blade as he swung the clumsy weapon as best as he could. He assumed his opponent would try and block it, which he did indeed attempt to do, but it ended up knocking the Knight down upon one knee as he strained under the weight of the blow that still crashed down upon him. Ludwig stumbled forward after his opponent fell backwards on his rear, and the Prinz outstretched a hand to try and catch his fall. It was an awkward sight, to see both Knights crash to the ground after such a reckless strike. Ludwig remained one knee-standing however, and after a moment passed of both men catching their breath, the crowd ruptured into a cheer as the announcer declared the winner to be the young Prinz, though he seemed to dress it up more than it seemed.

Ludwig stood up after stumbling for a moment, lifted up the visor of his helm and looked around at the crowd. His bruder's gaze was now focused back on him as he clapped with his trademark smirk upon his face once again. Your face was stoic however as you did the same. Turning back to the young Knight, he offered his hand without thinking, earning a curious glance from the man still sat upon the ground. He took the offered hand anyway after declining his own squire's assistance. He looked the Prinz in the eyes for a long moment before taking back his hand and speaking for the first time to Ludwig's ears, "You fought well, though you obviously got very lucky. I would very much like to speak with you more after we're out of our armour, if you wouldn't mind my asking. For now however, I must get back to Sisia before she worries about me." He lowered his head in a slight form of curtsy before walking back to his horse and waiting squire.

Ludwig raised a brow at the retreating figure of the still-nameless man, but shook his head and didn't think much of it. He proceeded to return his steed to its stall in the stables and sent his armour away with Hans to be repaired. After that, he didn't have much of an idea of what to do until he was approached by his brother and his 'friends'. They gushed over his victory, though Ludwig merely shrugged it off and insisted it was just beginners luck. Francis placed a hand on the Prinz's shoulder, "Ah, I remember when I used to participate in these kinds of tournaments when I was younger. Always so intense and exciting!"

Antonio poked his head around Gilbert's frame and added, "You didn't seem nervous at all, which is the strangest part, mi amigo! How do you do it?"

Just before he tried to stutter out a reply to the overwhelming amount of questions they asked him, another voice piped up, "Maybe he's just more talented than you are at this kind of event. I wouldn't doubt that's it."

Ludwig's head turned towards the direction of the voice and his eyes fell upon the smirk that threatened to crawl upon your face as you walked over to him. He blinked before questioning, "What, you can be born for this kind of sport?"

Gilbert snorted, "It's more than just a sport, Luddy, although with that attitude, you're bound to make people think that's true."

Antonio smiled before his expression turned to one of recollection, "Oh, my Prince, before you get too caught up in your victory, there's a Knight asking around for you. It'd be rude not to go find him and see what he wants. I think his Highness knows him, but I don't know if you two have met yet."

Ludwig's eyes widened. He'd almost forgotten about his own opponent. He quickly bid farewell to the group before rushing off to search for him, although to try and find someone you've only seen the eyes of was rather difficult. Fortunately for him, he was being searched for himself, and it wasn't long before he was approached by the same blonde-haired girl he had seen earlier sitting alone in the stands. Her docile expression made Ludwig slightly less anxious while she spoke with a formal tone, "Excuse me sir, do you happen to know where the Prinz of Deutschland is?"

Ludwig almost smiled at her apparent ignorance of what he looked like, which was understandable since he'd had his helmet on before, "Ja, you're speaking to him right now, actually."

Her lips parted as she made a squeak and apologized profusely for not knowing who she was talking to. After a moment of recollecting herself, she straightened up and smoothed out her dress, "Ah, I apologize for that. It's just… Basch never told me what you looked like so I didn't know exactly _who_ I was looking for. But, um… He's been looking for you. I'm helping him by trying to find you and, well… found you."

"Gut, I was actually just looking for _him_, actually. Do you know where I might find him?"

The girl almost cut him off in her excitement, "Yes I do! I can take you right to him, my liege."

He was starting to believe her eagerness was wearing off on him as he followed her in what to him seemed like random directions until she suddenly stopped mid-step. Ludwig almost fell over the short girl, but caught himself. He glanced up to see a clearing through the people and saw a man that looked not unlike the girl he had been following sitting on some steps against a wall that lead up to what Ludwig believed to be a watch tower of sorts. They both had the same chin-length blonde hair, and when the man turned to look at the now-approaching duo, he noticed she also had the same eyes as the young Knight. The man did not stand when the two came to a stop in front of him, which gave the impression that he did not care much that he was royalty, but was willing to treat him as he would treat anyone else. There was a moment of silence between the two males before the girl piped up, "B-Bruder, I found the Prinz. He's really very nice, I assure you!"

The man quickly extended a hand towards Ludwig, the latter almost flinching at the abruptness of the action, "Sehr gut. My name is Basch. That's all you need to know, for now."

The Prinz raised a brow at his curious statement before taking his hand in a firm grip to shake it, "Ja… and I'm sure you already know everything about me, considering the fact you hunted me down rather quickly."

A smirk dared to make its way on Basch's face, "Only what I've been told and what I've heard." He paused before gesturing to the girl, "This is my Schwester, Sisia. I mentioned her earlier, if you recall an hour or so back."

She smiled, looking somewhat bashful as she curtsied, "I-It's an honour to meet you in person, my liege."

Basch turned back to Ludwig and lowered his voice, "I wanted to meet with you because I need to understand something. I need _you_ to understand something." He paused before glaring at him, "You aren't like your bruder, are you?"

Ludwig narrowed his eyes at the mention of his bruder, and he spat out just as venomously, "Nein. I am nothing like that _Tyrann_."

"Hey, careful you don't get carried away. I don't need the wrong pair of ears listening to a comment like that coming from either you or me." His expression softened, "But that's good news… for me, that is. Means I can trust you won't spill everything I tell you back to him. He's a terrible man, and I'm just glad he's kept his eyes off of my homeland, and been too distracted with his new allies in the Franzosen und die Spanier."

"I'd assume he's wronged your people at some point in the past?"

He shook his head, "Not my people, but others. Now I'm not one for helping others or being concerned for them, Sisia being an exception… but this kingdom of yours, this _empire_… it's rapidly expanding, and I'm just concerned it's going to swallow up my homeland like it's done to almost half the continent as we know it." He glanced around before sighing, "Now I'd love to stand here and talk about every terrible thing your bruder has done, but that's not why I'm here. I know we just met, but I'd like for you to meet me somewhere in particular. You're not a fan of travel, are you?"

He shrugged, "If being eager to go to Österreich with a… friend but cancelling last minute counts as being a 'fan of travel', then yes."

Basch raised a brow but made no comment on his hesitation. He nodded and stood up a little straighter, "Ja, that counts in my books. Tell me, would a trip to my homeland, which we've taken to calling Schweiz, interest you at all? It's a beautiful land… not tainted by the rule of your bruder or forced into being a state or country as of yet."

Sisia saw Ludwig's hesitation and tried to compromise, "You don't have to feel obligated to agree, Prinz. Big Bruder just feels it's the safest place to talk, is all."

He frowned and glanced away, "Ja, I understand that, and if I had the chance I'd take you up on the offer right now. I just… need to sort out some personal things first-"

"Does a week sound like sufficient enough time to sort out your problems?"

Ludwig was taken back a bit by how blunt the man was, and his slight attitude he seemed to have. Shaking off the thought, he nodded, "Ja. That should be more than enough time."

Basch mirrored his action, "Excellent. I shall come find you in a week's time." He turned to his Schwester, "Come on, Sisia. Time to go back home."

Ludwig watched as the two left off, Sisia giving him a quick curtsy as she ran off to catch up with Basch. An odd pair, those two were. But Ludwig was also relieved to hear there was someone out there who seemed to hate his bruder at least half as much as he did. He seemed to be vouching for a good cause, but if there was a lot more he wanted to discuss with Ludwig… He shook his head. No, he had to use the time he had wisely to avoid running into the new deadline he had.

He wouldn't make the same mistake he made with running away from his problems with Eloise. He wasn't going to leave the country without setting things right with you first. He knew he was bound to run into you again, and though you didn't seem angry with him earlier, he was still anxious to find you and discuss what happened… without Gilbert's childish behavior getting in his way.

* * *

**A/N:** HOO DEAR. I'm so sorry this took forever to update~! I literally started typing this up two days ago and finished it just now...

SO YEAH. More 'guest stars' showed up. And yes, Sisia is indeed Liechtenstein. I used one of the suggested names, and she does NOT share the same last name as Basch in this one, since I was reading up on her on the wiki and they made a good point about it [something about Catholics and Protestant reformers or something]

Damn, guys. I feel like Basch was a bit of a jerk here... attitude wise. I also read up that he has a temper, which I guess translated to an edgy attitude for me :I

* * *

**Translations [in order of appearance]:**

**Sehr Gut:** Very good

**[the]****Franzosen und die Spanier:** Supposed to mean 'the French and the Spanish', but it could be wrong...


	15. Chapter 15

There was an awkward silence between the two of you as you walked alongside each other. You fidgeted somewhat while trying to distract yourself with the lovely scenery in the garden. It was only until he suddenly sighed that you turned to hear was he had to say, "Dios mio… I still can't believe Gilbert would just… leave so abruptly after that eventful week." You cocked your head slightly in questioning as he scoffed and continued, "Though Francis tagging along was no surprise to me."

You raised a brow, "Why, does he always do that?"

The Spaniard turned to look at you with a smirk, "Sí. He likes to 'follow the leader', per se. He used to be able to take care of himself, but nowadays he likes to just hide behind the winning side."

"So he's cowardly?"

"That's… one way to describe it, I suppose."

Another strange silence passed until you suddenly stopped walking and turned towards his now paused form, "What are your motives, exactly? For joining up with Gilbert?"

He furrowed his brow, "Why would you want to discuss something like that?"

"I need to know."

His expression was unreadable for a moment before he laughed suddenly, "Protection, what else? The Ottomans are getting stronger every day, mi amiga. These days, countries have to choose sides, or get overthrown by one. I have friends down in Italy that were almost overtaken by Ottomans, before this kingdom came to defend the country… for their own reasoning, mind you. Gilbert doesn't simply give aid for free. No leader does."

The information was somewhat new to you, but what interested you the most was both the Ottomans and why Antonio was being so open about it. You mused your questioning, "The Ottomans? What do they have to do with anything?"

Antonio made a 'click' sound, "Right, I keep forgetting Gilbert enjoys keeping his people in the dark around here." He lowered his voice somewhat, "The Ottomans are a huge ever-expanding empire to the East. They say it literally swallows up any country it desires, and rumours float around about them outnumbering us 3-to-1." A worried look overcame his features, "I'm thankful I live on the Western edge of the continent, but even so… the Ottomans are nothing to laugh about, amiga. They are a very real, and dangerous threat, even Gilbert knows this. Last I heard, they haven't made a move in quite some time. That could mean several things though."

You frowned in concern at this new discovery, "That's awful. No wonder Gilbert keeps such news to himself. The people would be tossed into a panic-"

"The people would be a lot more likely to switch sides, in my opinion. If they get the chance, that is." He put a hand to his forehead as he shook his head, "The Ottomans are not our Allies. In fact, they'd love nothing more but to conquer our lands and claim what comes with them. I just hope Gilbert has a plan on what to do about them."

"And if not?"

He looked at you with surprise in his eyes at the question. He quickly shook his head and looked you in the eyes, "Then I hope someone out there has a better idea, or at least a strategy. If not, then we're just counting down the days to our defeat."

You decided now was about the time to voice your other question as he appeared to be getting ready to head off on his own, "Why are you telling me this? I'm just a common fraulein, no one would even think to bless my ears with such talk."

The Spaniard grinned after a moment's hesitation, "Because I like you, amiga. Though we barely know one another, I like you. Actually, your attitude reminds me of my dear friend from Italy. Maybe you two should meet someday."

Your expression softened, "Ja, maybe we should… if I were to ever get a chance to visit Italy, that is. I've only been around Deutsche provinces, I'm afraid."

His grin became contagious as he replied fondly, "Perhaps I'll take you there sometime, if you wouldn't mind travelling with a man who loves tomates." He winked before turning to leave, calling to you as he did so, "Until next time, _."

For the rest of that day, and the day after that, you couldn't help but stress over what the friendly Spaniard man had told you about the Ottomans. They seemed much more intimidating than when mentioned by _Herr_ Alder, and if they hadn't made any moves to take more land in a while… _they could either be taking a much needed break, or getting ready for something a bit larger in scale._

Another day later, you were beginning to pack up your things to head out with your Schwester yet again on another caravan run. You had kind of been hoping to see Ludwig before then, wanting to apologize for acting out like that a week or two ago, but you hadn't seen nor heard from him since you saw him at the Jousting Tournament he attended. Now you were regretting not asking Antonio about the man he mentioned to him, before Ludwig took off after bowing quickly to the group of men you were with. The Prinz was obviously eager to see him, and it only added to your curiosity. Who could he have been? Why did he ask for Ludwig? You shook your head. No, you couldn't dwell on such things now. You had places to go and see, things to sell. Such thoughts did indeed dampen your mood somewhat.

The day of your departure, you were quickly on your way to meet with your Schwester outside the gates when you bumped into someone via your shoulder. You stepped back and apologized, only to see a man that looked a bit out of place, "I-I'm sorry, mein herr."

He shook his head, his stern expression never leaving his face, "Nein, it was my own fault." He paused before quickly looking back to you with his forest green eyes, "If you don't mind my prying, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

You raised a brow before shrugging, "I'm going to meet with mein Schwester… I-well, _we_ work with the caravans."

He nodded, seemingly taking a moment to think that information over before idly asking, "You don't happen to know where the Prinz, Ludwig Beilschmidt is, do you?"

His expression was odd when he'd said 'Prinz', but it was more surprising to hear someone asking for him. You shook your head, however, "Nein. I haven't seen him in… well, since the Tournament last week or so."

"You were there? With the caravans?"

You shrunk back slightly with his strange, questioning tone of voice. It was like he was trying to interrogate you, "I was there… but not with the caravans though. Mein Schwester handled that."

He raised a brow, "So what were you doing there then?"

"I was with Gil-the King. He requested that I sit near him during the Tournament."

"He asked a peasant girl to sit with him?" He snorted, "How outrageous."

You glared at him, "If all you want to do is laugh at me, then go bother someone else! I don't know where Ludwig is, I tried to find him but I don't know where he is."

His expression sharply changed to a curious one, "You didn't use his title when you said his name. How curious. Tell me, what business did you have with him?"

You were hesitant to tell him such things after he'd practically made fun of your word, but you responded suspiciously, "I… wanted to apologize for smacking him across the face over a dinner with his bruder and Allies of theirs."

The man chuckled to himself before his piercing gaze was brought back up to you, "It's not every day I hear someone mention hitting royalty over a banquet. I can give him your message if you'd like. I'm meeting with him to discuss some things back in my homeland."

You blinked in surprise, Ludwig was going away? You nodded after a moment, "Ja… Ja, I would appreciate that. Not the same as telling him to his face, but he has to know that I'm sorry."

He nodded in reply, "I'll make sure to let him know then. Danke."

You raised a brow at his retreating figure. What a strange man. He seemed to not be able to make up his mind or mood. Shaking your head, you continued onward, somewhat more relaxed knowing that he would at least be able to know of your apologies.

You didn't want to ruin this odd friendship you'd been thrown into by complete chance.

* * *

**A/N:** I finally updated~! But tears of joy aside, here's the translations:

**Translations [in order of appearance]:**

**Dios mio** = My god

**Sí** = Yes

**Mi amiga** = My friend [in feminine form]

**Fraulein** = girl

**Tomates** = Tomatoes [that should've been an easy one to guess, huehuehue]

**Mein herr** = Sir [I read up that it can be translated differently... [like the literal translation, I get from it 'my sir', but can also mean to just mean 'sir' in a singular, formal form. I may be wrong, so corrections are welcome~]


	16. Chapter 16

He found Ludwig working on his swordsmanship in a quiet area near the north-western end of die Kapitale's walls. The Schweizer man smirked to himself at the memory of his clumsy work with his sword during the tournament, and the boy's raw strength behind the blade which surprised even him. That was why he had won, and that was what perked his curiosity about the Prinz. Despite that, he was still far from bending a knee to the Junge for his title. In his eyes, Basch believed experience was far more important than an inherited title. After watching him for another minute or so, still unnoticed by the Junge, he called out to him, "Hey, today's the day, Beilschmidt."

Ludwig, startled by Basch's sharp voice, fumbled and dropped the sword while stumbling away from it to avoid hurting himself. He almost glared over at the man, until he fully realized who he was and what he'd said. He sighed and stood up straight, "Indeed it is."

"Why the long face? You seemed happy about the idea when you agreed to it."

His face twisted into a rather awkward expression, "Well… I guess I just have doubts that I'm ready, is all."

Basch crossed his arms, quickly getting back to the point, "Does your bruder know you're leaving?"

"Not as far as I know. I've barely spoken with that arsch."

"Easy now," Basch looked at him with a scolding glance, "Like I said last time, you have to watch what you say so the wrong pair of ears don't happen to catch wind of that kind of talk."

Ludwig glanced to the side but nodded nonetheless, "Ja, my apologies. It tends to slip."

"Not a very 'prinzlich' habit, but that may be a good thing in a way." He adjusted the strap and clip that kept his sword at his side before gesturing behind him, "I want you to understand that I am not attempting to rush you, but we should really be on our way. The sooner we're outside these walls and away from your bruder's prying eyes, the better."

Picking up his sword and sheathing it, Ludwig took a few steps forward before suddenly stopping as if he'd forgotten something. Basch looked at him with a raised brow as the young Prinz shook his head of whatever thought he may have had and continued on his way. Another question came to Ludwig's mind, and this time mused it aloud to the man ahead of him, "Where's Sisia in all of this? Considering she's your Schwester, one would think she'd always be glued to your side like that."

The Prinz couldn't see the smirk on Basch's face at the inquiry, "She's waiting for us outside the walls, watching over our steeds. It's a long way to our homeland on foot from here, so we thought it best to shorten the trip as much as we could."

"You're not concerned about leaving her by herself?"

He glanced back at him from over his shoulder, "Sisia is _more_ than capable of taking care of herself, I assure you. No need to worry about it, Ludwig."

The Prinz was somewhat surprised to hear Basch refer to him with first names, but then realized it was rather nice to not be referred to as a 'Prinz' for once. Walking in a comfortable silence, Ludwig's mind was focused on nothing else except the journey he was about to go on, even if it wasn't at all an epic like one of several he'd read about.

Just as they had reached the large gate leading outside of die Kapitale, Basch suddenly turned to him, "Ah, I can't believe I almost forgot. I ran into this girl as I was entering die Kapitale earlier… she wanted me to tell you that she was sorry for smacking you in your pretty face over dinner with your bruder."

Ludwig would've laughed had he not instantly realized just who he was referring to. Eyes widening at the realization, he quickly strode over to stand in front of Basch, "That was _! When did you see her? Where was she going?"

The Schweizer man frowned in a rather upset fashion, "She's already gone, if that's what you're asking." Ludwig winced slightly at his bluntness, "Was heading out to go meet her Schwester and the caravans. She was probably leaving to head out on the road. Why all the sudden questioning?"

"I just… now I wish I had the chance to express my thank you for getting that message to me before leaving."

Basch proceeded to step around Ludwig and continue walking forward, "Come. Sisia's not too far from here."

Jogging to catch up, Ludwig was curious, "I thought you said she was outside the walls?"

"That I did. I told her to wait just off the main road just a bit further from here. People might get the wrong idea, seeing a young Fraulein alongside the road with three horses in hand. We're trying to attract as little attention as possible." He paused before looking back at the gates they had come through, the guards still at their posts but one of them was now eying them suspiciously, "None of those guards know your face, do they?"

Ludwig also looked back, recognizing the guard with a scrutinizing glance to be the same one that he'd passed by when he went with you outside the walls. The only thing that kept him from being recognized that time was the mud that slicked back his hair and turned it a muddy blonde colour. It was entirely possible the guard knew who he was from the beginning, or even just from the Tournament he'd attended and won, which had caused a stir with many other people. He frowned in concern at Basch, "N-Nein. At least I don't think so. Do they know yours?"

Basch scoffed and rolled his eyes at what was supposed to be a witty comeback from Ludwig, "Perfect. He's coming this way. Ever been questioned by guardsmen, Prinz?"

Ignoring the mocking tone when he'd spat out his title, he hissed in reply, "No, I haven't. M-Maybe he's just curious as to where we're going…?"

Basch crossed his arms with his usual frown and turned to the side slightly as the guard walked rather quickly over to the two men, his armour's clanking now audible. Ludwig cursed under his breath as the guard donning a Knight's armour stood in front of him, seemingly towering and proud under all that metal and cloth. The man's deep voice resonated from under his helm, "Halt."

Ludwig looked up at the guard, asking innocently, "Ja? Is there a problem, mein Herr?"

The man raised a thick brow at him, "Where are you heading off to, Junge?"

Ludwig was going to reply honestly but Basch spoke first, donning what the Prinz thought was a rather impressive attempt at an accent, "My friend and I are just starting off towards France, if you must know."

The man's lips pressed into a tight line, "I'll need your names."

Ludwig's brow creased in concern, "What for?"

The guard sighed heavily, "His royal highness has put some sort of new law into place that's being gradually enforced. He wants to keep track of who enters and leaves die Kapitale, as of late. Tedious, but I can't disobey an order."

Basch gritted his teeth before spitting out an answer at the expectant guard, who now had a small leather-bound book and a stick of charcoal in hand, "Luc Blanc. L-u-c, B-l-a-n-c… if you need help with that."

Giving him a dirty look while scribbling that down, he then turned to Ludwig, "And you?"

Ludwig's mind was working far quicker than it usually did when times like these arose, not that they often did, and replied fairly quickly, "Otto Eberhardt."

The man quickly scribbled the name down, obviously knowing the spelling of the name derived from his mother tongue. He then snapped the little book shut and nodded curtly, "Danke schön. You may carry on."

As the guard turned to head back to his post, Ludwig proceeded to follow Basch as they made their way out of eyesight of the gates. That didn't stop Basch from becoming talkative again, "I'll be honest… I wasn't expecting to you lie so smoothly like that."

Ludwig shrugged, "I just used the name of a hero I'd read up about in one of those epic tales of fiction literature, promptly called-"

"Please don't elaborate on the subject. It was meant to be somewhat of a compliment, not a cue for you to start rambling about some book you read."

Ludwig smiled at the man's quick diversionary tactic. He was quite the interesting individual. If he was younger, he might just be friends with him. Then again, Ludwig didn't actually _know_ the man's age, and on that thought he unintentionally voiced this thought, "Just how old are you, Basch?" Receiving an odd look from him, Ludwig quickly backtracked a bit, "I mean, you said all I needed to know was your name, sure. But it'd be nice to know just how much older than me you are… not just in wisdom."

Basch's reply was expected, "I'll tell you another time" Before Ludwig could protest, he pointed ahead of him, "There's Sisia, there."

Sure enough, Ludwig had heard the sound of a horse's snort as they walked off the main road off to a patch of trees to the side. The young Fraulein sat upon a rock, holding three sets of reins in hand. She looked up at the approaching pair and smiled at them. Ludwig almost had to do a double take. Were it not for the rich blue ribbon still in her hair, she could've easily been mistaken for a boy, especially when wearing pants instead of a dress. Basch smirked when he caught sight of the Prinz's expression out the corner of his eye, "It's not as outrageous as you may think… at least not where I come from. If it makes you feel any better, she prefers wearing dresses over that attire anyway. It's just not convenient to wear a dress when riding upon a horse, is all."

Ludwig didn't quite understand what he was implying, but his attention was quickly redirected when Sisia stood as they stopped near her, "Es freut mich dich zu sehen, Bruder. Prinz Beilschmidt as well. I kept the horses steady as you asked. They were very well behaved, despite being so far from home."

Basch nodded, "Danke, Sisia. That is good to hear."

She smiled at him, and then turned to Ludwig, "Did you get everything done like you wanted, Prinz? You sounded most determined when we last met."

Ludwig scratched the back of his head, "Um… for the most part, ja."

Basch turned to the both of them, "I'll tell you about it later if you wish, Sisia, but for now we must really be going if we're to stay on schedule."

Sisia squeaked, "Oh my! I'm so sorry, bruder. I wasn't trying to ramble, I swear!"

Ludwig smirked, "I think that was more directed at me, Sisia. No need to take the blame."

The trio quickly mounted their steeds; Ludwig's being somewhat skittish at first before becoming more relaxed. Basch lead the trio, his familiar chestnut-coloured horse walking with a high head. Sisia rode next to Ludwig, occasionally glancing over to him and when their eyes met, she'd smile shyly and look away as if she would be scolded for glancing at him. Casting a glance behind him as they returned to the main road and began following it, he saw the distant walls looking much more intimidating than they did from the inside.

His stomach was aflutter at the thought of it all, however. Those walls that grew ever more distant as they travelled meant he was getting further and further away from his bruder.

And the best part was that Gilbert had no idea he had left, or where he was going.

* * *

**A/N:** Sleep. Sleep is such a wonderful thing, and never forget that. It's almost 8:30am here, and I haven't slept yet, and I'm totally regretting it except for the fact I typed out 98% of this chappy starting at 5am.

**Translations [in order of appearance]:**

**Schweizer** = _Swiss [as in, a Swiss man]_

**Prinzlich** = _Princely_

**Halt** = _Stop, halt, ect._

**Danke schön** = _Thank you_

**Es freut mich dich zu sehen** = _I am pleased/glad to see you_


End file.
